The Curse of the Demon King
by Cyberpunk666
Summary: The threat of Naraku looms ever present in our heros' minds, when they uncover a plot to revive one of the Old Ones, the first race of demons to have ever walked the Earth...New characters, including friends, allies, as well as a new love interest for Kag
1. Chapter 1: The Half Demon Ninja

Inuyasha: The Curse of the Demon King and the Zetsumei no Tasogare.

To serve and to die for one's lord, that is what the life of an Oni clan ninja is. The hanyuo named Kamitsu knew this. But, lately...

"You are to enter the village of Shibuma, take whatever jewel shards you find within and kill anyone that stands in your way."

...he had begun to question his lord's motives...

"My lord," Kamitsu began carefully, "is that truly necessary? The people of Shibuma are but simple farmers and are of no..." His lord's fist striking the table cut him off.

"How dare you question my orders!" He shouted, clearly outraged by his subordinate's comments. "Either you complete this mission or I will kill you and everyone you care about! Am I understood?" Kamitsu flinched slightly. Lord Godai was a yuokai, but he had never been this ruthless before.

"Yes my lord," he replied, bowing low to show his respect.

…why had his lord chosen now to take an interest in the jewel shards when he had never shown any at all before? He sighed sadly, thinking of all the people that would have to die by his hand that night. Finishing his prayer, Kamitsu took up his taitou; a long sword not usually used by assassins, and left the castle's small shrine. The night was cold and pitch-black, the perfect night for a ninja to ply his skills. The pine trees stood like stark statues, their branches swaying in the breeze. Kamitsu breathed it all in slowly, savoring this brief moment of peace. For when he reached Shibuma, that peace would be abruptly shattered.

Kagome, sitting on the floor of Kaiede's small hut, stiffened slightly.

"Are ye alright child?" The much older woman asked. Kagome gave her a weak smile.

"Oh, yeah, I'm just fine," she replied unconvincingly. Kaiede gave her a shrewd look.

"My sister couldn't lie very well either child," she said with an air of wisdom. "What is wrong?" Kagome fidgeted slightly.

"I'm not entirely sure," she began slowly, "but I think I sense a jewel shard." Kaiede tensed.

"Is it nearby?" She asked. Kagome only shook her head.

"No, not really, but it's not far either." Her face took on a look of concentration. "It should be within a few hours walking distance." Kaiede's eyes narrowed.

"What about Naraku's portion of the jewel?" Kagome concentrated again.

"I don't sense it anywhere," she replied confidently. "The question remains, however, whether we'll make it there before Naraku does."

Kamitsu hung from the edge of the temple's roof, which was located in the center of the Shibuma, looking down on the small hamlet as it went to sleep for the night. In a matter of moments, their peace would be shattered. It was a shame, but he had a mission that he must complete on pain of death. He swung up on to the roof, heading for a small window just large enough for him to fit through. Peering inside the darkened chamber, Kamitsu was slightly surprised to find no guards. They probably were not expecting an intruder to enter from the attic. Unfortunately, that was not the case. A dark figure wielding a spear leapt out of the shadows at him. Its disfigured face marked it for what he sensed it was; a yuokai. Kamitsu drew his sword, parrying the yuokai's wild thrust. He then struck its unprotected back with his blade, felling the grotesque beast. Two more came at him from a door on his left, both armed with spears and dressed in samurai armor. Their flesh, where left exposed, was black and scaly.

"Black serpent yuokai!" Kamitsu spat before they charged him. He dodged left, then right, dexterously avoiding their attacks. He went after the one on the left first, working his taitou past its spear and into its chest. As it died, the other came in hard, shouting a garbled war cry. A thrown dagger in its throat cut its cry short, leaving it to fall to the floor with a wet gurgle. As what sounded like four more came running up the stairs, Kamitsu had the feeling that this was going to be a long night.

"So, where are we going?" The inu hanyuo named Inuyasha asked for what seemed to Kagome like the fifth time. She sighed slightly.

"It's a village to the west of here called Shibuma," she replied impatiently. "I sense at least two jewel shards in that direction." Inuyasha folded his arms inside the sleeves of his kimono.

"Okay, there's no need to get testy," he said quickly. "I was just wondering why this couldn't have waited till tomorrow." Kagome did not reply, feeling more than just a little annoyed at this point. Sango, Kirara sitting on her right shoulder, chose to answer.

"Because, Inuyasha, if we don't retrieve the jewel shards, Naraku will." Miroku, standing just to her left, nodded.

"Sango is right, Inuyasha," he agreed, "We need to keep as many of the shards out of Naraku's hands as we possibly can." The hanyuo scowled slightly.

"Alright already," he grumbled, "ya don't need to bite my head off." Kagome only sighed, remembering when she had first met Inuyasha. He had been stapled to a tree by an arrow, thick roots covering most of his body. How peaceful he had seemed, like he was sleeping. She learned later that the miko Kikyo had bound him there after he tried to steal the Shikon Jewel so he could use it to become a full-fledged yuokai. The pair had been very close until the hanyuo Naraku tricked them into fighting each other. Kagome had also found out that she was Kikyo's reincarnation. To top it off, she now had to collect the remaining shards of the Shikon no Tama before Naraku does. She gave a heart felt sigh. She had absolutely no luck at all. Fortunately, she was not alone in this quest. The first to have joined them was the young kitsune Shippo, who uses his kitsune magic to get out of trouble. The second was the overly lecherous monk named Miroku, who has a thing for their next member, the taijiya named Sango. The last, but not least, was the two-tailed neko yuokai named Kirara.

"Hey, Kagome," Shippou began warily, "how far is Shibuma?" Kagome kept walking as she spoke.

"Kaiede says it's at least a two hour walk," she told him patiently. "And it's where I sense the jewel shard is." Miroku spoke up next.

"Then we had best hurry," he stated soberly, "for the people there may be in grave danger." Inuyasha's nose twitched as he sniffed the evening air.

"I don't smell any smoke," he told them after a moment, "with the wind blowing our way I'd be able to smell it by now." He unfolded his arms. "But that, unfortunately, only means that the village isn't burning, yet." Inuyasha was always such an optimist. Kagome started to walk faster.

"Then we'd better pick up the pace," she said with determination. She only hoped they were not too late.

As the last black serpent yuokai fell to his blade, Kamitsu surveyed his surroundings. He had been battling on the run, using his quick reflexes to stay ahead of his pursuers. His retreat had brought him to a small, dimly lit room. At the room's center was a small altar with a sacrificial bowl set on it. He moved slowly towards it, his eyes continually scanning the room for any possible threat. Finding none, he proceeded to the room's center. Inside the bowl was what he had been looking for, the jewel shards.

"Convenient," he murmured. "Too convenient, in fact." There were five shards in all, not a lot, but he wasn't told how many there were exactly. He took the pouch from his belt and dumped the shards inside. "Easy money." Placing the bowl back where it was, he prepared to leave. The next thing Kamitsu knew, something behind him caught on fire. The altar was in flames, and the fire was quickly beginning to spread. "I knew this was too easy!" He said before making his escape. He jumped through a nearby open window, landing in a crouch on the ground fifty feet below. He turned slightly, watching as the flames began to consume the temples main building. The village was beginning to wake up around him. "Time for me to leave!" And with that, he darted off in to the night.

Inuyasha froze, his nose twitching. He walked forward a ways, turning left then right.

"What's the matter?" Miroku asked, coming to stand beside him. Inuyasha's eyes narrowed as he continued down the forest path.

"Shibuma is burning," he replied after a moment. Miroku shook his head sadly as they continued on.

"Then it appears we are too late," the monk said soberly. Kagome looked over at Sango, the pair having been outdistanced by the others.

"What do you think they're talking about?" Sango shrugged slightly, using the movement to readjust the position of her hiraikotsu's strap on her shoulder.

"Maybe they're talking about what to do if Naraku were to make an appearance." She theorized. "Though I don't know why they're not including us in the conversation." Kagome shrugged as well.

"They're just men wanting to make themselves feel more important." Sango couldn't help but agree with her. Kagome stopped suddenly, eyes scanning the tree line.

"What's wrong?" Sango asked, her eyes turning to the trees as well. Kagome didn't rightly know what was wrong herself, having just briefly sensed a strange aura passing by.

"It's nothing, probably just my imagination." Kagome seriously doubted it was merely that, but she had little to prove otherwise.

"Come on, Kagome!" Inuyasha called back to her. "We're wasting time!" She started down the path once more, her eyes lingering on the tree line for a moment more before turning her gaze back to the path in front of her. Maybe it was just her imagination after all.

The yuokai froze where it was, positive the girl had sensed it. But, how could a mere girl be able to do so? She certainly wasn't a priestess, not with that outfit. But, only someone with strong spiritual powers would be able to sense its presence. This left the yuokai feeling very troubled as it watched the two women continue on the trail. It would have to be more careful from now on to ensure it wasn't discovered. Its mission depended on it.

Inuyasha was sure of it now, Shibuma was definitely burning. He slowed his pace, allowing Kagome to catch up with him.

"Did you sense something earlier?" Kagome asked him after a moment. He glanced sideways at her.

"Like what?" He asked in turn. The young miko sighed tiredly.

"Never mind, it's nothing important," she replied, sounding weary. He hated it when she decided to be cryptic.

"If something's wrong," he began patiently, "why don't you tell me?" She didn't reply at first, which made him feel worried about her. He looked at her a little more closely, noticing how pale she was. "Kagome, what's wrong?" She stopped suddenly, causing him to do the same. Suddenly, she wrapped her arms around his waist and laid her head against his chest. He blushed so hard that he thought his face was on fire. Then, she whispered something only he could hear.

"I sense a jewel shard nearby," she breathed against his chest. He understood now. A demon was nearby and this was the only way she could tell him without letting it know. He decided to play along, returning her embrace.

"Where?" He asked her softly, his lips right by her ear. She nodded her head to the tree line to their left. He nodded slightly, pushing her away gently. Then, he spun, drawing the Tetsusaiga from its sheath in the same movement. "Tetsusaiga!" He cried, sending a wave of energy scything into the trees. Something leapt clear of the blast, landing not ten feet away. It looked more human than most of the yuokai they had met, save for its pointed ears and blue hair. It turned to them, revealing that it had a black scarf covering half its face and startlingly green eyes. It was dressed in the uniform of a ninja, not the type Naraku usually dealt with. It drew its sword and prepared to fight. "Kagome," Inuyasha began, "Where are the jewel shards on its body?" There was a pause.

"It's not using them," she told him. "They're in the pouch on its left hip." The ninja's eyes widened in shock. Inuyasha smiled.

"Never let your guard down!" He cried, swinging Tetsusaiga in a wide arc. The ninja reacted quickly, leaping over the blade.

"I was about to say the same of you!" It replied, bringing its weapon down hard. Amazingly, Inuyasha was able to bring the Tetsusaiga up to block at the last second. Sparks danced as the blades connected, sending a shiver up Inuyasha's spine.

_It's strong_, he thought, pushing back on his sword. The ninja disengaged, flipping over his head to land behind him. It spun, thinking to strike him from behind.

"No you don't!" Kagome cried, firing her bow. The ninja leapt back, narrowly avoiding the deadly arrow.

"My turn," Sango said with a smile, preparing to throw her hiraikotsu. The large weapon arced through the air, just narrowly missing its head.

"You missed," it began smugly, "and now your weapon's gone." She only smiled wider.

"Don't be so sure of that," she replied, enjoying its puzzled expression. Like the giant boomerang it resembled, the hiraikotsu came whirling back, heading straight for the ninja's unprotected back. As if it could sense it, the ninja merely back flipped over it, causing Sango to frown. She caught the weapon, preparing to use it again. But the ninja had used the weapon as a distraction so it could get in close. Its sword passed just a hair's breadth from her face, forcing her to retreat. Miroku came to her rescue, blocking its next strike with his staff.

"Now you have to deal with me," the monk stated, his muscles straining. The ninja's eyes narrowed as it struck out again and again. Miroku could barely keep up with its strikes, let alone launch a counter. Sango couldn't risk hitting Miroku with the hiraikotsu, so she dropped it and drew her own sword. She crossed blades with the demon, amazed by its strength.

"Nice block," it said sincerely. "But, what if I do this?" It pushed back and up, causing both their blades to lock together above her head.

"Nice trick, for an assassin!" She said, strain in her voice. She lashed out with her left foot, hoping to trip it up. However, the ninja disengaged and leapt back only to attack her again. Their blades sparked from the intensity of its strikes, causing numbing pain to shoot up her arms with each blow.

"You're doing quite well, for a human woman," it told her as it lined up its sword for another attack. It smashed her sword aside with little effort, but instead of killing her, the ninja knocked her aside with a well-placed kick to the ribs. All her breath was gone in a rush, leaving her lying on the ground gasping for air. Inuyasha rushed the demon, Tetsusaiga at the ready.

"Kaze no Kizu!" He cried, unleashing the Tetsusaiga's second most powerful attack. But, instead of dodging it, the demon retrieved a monk's sutra from inside its vest.

"Shi-rudo!" It cried, a strange barrier coming up between it and the Kaze no Kizu. The blast broke against it like water on rocks, sparks of energy flying in all directions. The demon was completely unscathed by Inuyasha's attack, leaving Miroku deeply disturbed.

"It would seem our enemy has strong spiritual powers," he commented darkly. Kagome turned to him, confused.

"But, if he's a yuokai, how is that possible?" She asked him. Miroku didn't have an answer for her, because he didn't rightly know himself. Inuyasha didn't let up, attacking the demon yet again.

"You won't escape!" He cried, swinging the Tetsusaiga around in a blurring arc. The ninja attempted to parry, catching the massive sword with its blade. It rolled with the impact, as to hold on to its weapon, and came back to its feet. Kagome notched an arrow on her bow, took aim and fired. The ninja caught the bolt without even glancing at it, and with no adverse affects. Dumbfounded, she prepared to try again. Discarding the arrow, the ninja withdrew three shuriken from inside its vest and hurled them at Kagome. She hit the ground in a panic, a yelp of fear escaping her lips. The shuriken embedded themselves in the tree she had been standing in front of instead of her. There was a strange hissing sound and smoke curled up from the puncture holes in the wood.

"Those darts are poisoned!" Miroku exclaimed, stating the obvious. "This one is mine!" He removed the prayer beads that were wrapped around his right hand. "Wind Tunnel!" He extended his hand, palm out with the fingers spread, revealing the veritable black hole that was embedded within. The ninja staggered, feeling the awesome vacuum that was Miroku's right hand. It embedded its sword tip first into the ground, keeping it from being sucked in. Several shuriken fell out of its vest, only to be caught in the vacuum as well. Miroku's eyes widened in fear, for if those shuriken were sucked inside, he would feel the effects of their poison. Quickly, he sealed the Wind Tunnel once more and ducked, barely avoiding the deadly darts. The ninja fell to the ground with a loud thud, kicking up some dust by doing so. It came back to its feet quickly, fear and shock evident in its eyes. How could mere humans and a half demon have such powers?

"There's nowhere to run demon, now hand over the jewel shards!" Sango demanded, her hiraikotsu back in her hand. The ninja looked left, right and then made a b-line for the woods. "No you don't!" Sango cried, launching her hiraikotsu at it. The demon leapt back, straight into an arrow from Kagome. The ninja fell to the ground hard, letting out a cry of pain. The arrow had embedded itself deep into the small of his back, making moving at all difficult. It struggled to rise, then froze as the tip of the Tetsusaiga was placed against its throat.

"Not so fast," Inuyasha said, a veiled threat in his tone. The ninja did not move a muscle. "Now, be a good kitty and hand over those jewel shards." The yuokai coughed out a laugh.

"Not likely, dog face!" It spat, pain evident in its voice. Inuyasha hated it when someone called him that. Somehow, he resisted the urge to lob its head off and be done with it. Man was he getting soft.

"I'll only ask you one more time," he said as calmly as he could, "hand over the jewel shards now and I won't kill you." The yuokai chuckled slightly.

"You're pathetic, dog boy," it said scathingly, "you should have killed me when you had the chance." Inuyasha let out a growl of anger, what little patience he had gone.

"Die then!" He cried, drawing back the Tetsusaiga for a swing. The demon seemed to vanish in a blast of smoke, blinding Inuyasha's senses. "Damn! Where'd it go!" There was a scream from his left, answering his question. The smoke cleared, revealing that the demon had wrapped its arm around Kagome's neck from behind, using her as a human shield.

"Stay back or I'll snap her neck!" It ordered them, tightening its hold on Kagome's neck for emphasis.

"Let her go or I swear I'll kill you!" Inuyasha growled menacingly. The demon only laughed at him.

"You're in no position to be making demands, dog face," it said, its tone holding a veiled threat. "The girl is coming with me. My lord will find someone that can sense jewel shards most useful." It smirked from behind the black scarf covering the lower half of its face. "See you around fido!" There was another blast of smoke, and when it cleared, both the yuokai and Kagome were gone.

"No! Damn it!" Inuyasha cried out in rage. "Kagome!" His voice trailed off to a growl of anger and frustration. Miroku approached him carefully.

"Easy Inuyasha," he said, hoping to calm him. "You need to stay in control if we are to find them." Inuyasha whirled around, grabbed the front of his robes, and lifted him a good foot off the ground.

"Oh I'll find them!" He practically roared in the monk's face. "And when I do, that damn cat is dead!" With that, he dumped a startled Miroku unceremoniously on his ass and stormed off towards the northeast.

"Sango, remind me to never get on his bad side," he said while brushing himself off. She came up to stand beside him, out of arms reach.

"Did he say cat?" She asked, not certain she had heard the half demon right. Miroku nodded.

"Yes, he did," he replied sagely. "The last time we encountered cat yuokai was when we fought against the Panther Devas." His expression seemed grim as he spoke. "I just hope this yuokai's tribe doesn't have a vendetta against Inuyasha's father as well."

Kamitsu was growing impatient with the human girl. She had been kicking and screaming at him ever since he had taken her hostage.

"Put me down!" She cried, pounding at his back with her fists harder than he thought she could. "I can walk perfectly fine by myself, now put me down!" He smiled slightly from behind his scarf.

"Okay, you're short, annoying, your aim is terrible and you are the worst example of a miko I've ever seen," he told her, still smiling. Her eyes narrowed.

"Great," she began sarcastically, "of all the yuokai in the world I get stuck with the one that thinks it's a comedian." That did it. He dumped her on the ground, his patience now gone. The girl sat up, anger in her eyes. "Hey! You can't just do that!" He crouched down in front of her, his eyes narrowing dangerously.

"Listen, girl," he began, his tone suddenly cold, "you had better shut up, unless you want your friends to find you dead." She bought his bluff. "And stop referring to me as an it', my name, if you must speak at all, is Kamitsu Tsunagurai." She did not reply, her eyes plainly saying that she did not care.

"Inuyasha will come for me," she told him quietly. He chuckled mirthlessly, not exactly worried about that fact.

"Who, your hanyuo lover?" He asked, his voice taking on a bored tone. "I am sure that he will indeed. Dogs like him always seem to form extremely strong attachments to humans." He stood up, extending his hand to help her up. "But, he doesn't know where we're going." She ignored his hand, standing up on her own.

"You don't know him like I do," she said to him defiantly. "He will _never_ give up until he's found me and killed you." He did not reply, taking her by the arm.

"If he does, then he will be the one to die," was all he said as they made their way out of the forest.


	2. Chapter 2: An Unexpected Kindness

Inuyasha was angry, both at himself for failing and at the cat yuokai for taking Kagome away from him. He knelt down, his nose twitching as he tried to pick up their scent. There, it was very faint, but he could smell Kagome's perfume.

"This way," he said before continuing through the woods. Miroku, Sango and Shippo hastened to follow, the hanyuo starting to outpace them.

"Wow, I've never seen Inuyasha this determined before," Shippo said in awe. Sango nodded in agreement.

"Yes, I guess he must be really worried about Kagome," she said quietly. "But if we don't hurry he'll get ahead of us. Kirara!" The two-tailed neko yuokai leapt down from her shoulder, fire engulfing her as she transformed. Kirara had two forms, one was small and cute, and the other was far larger and much more deadly. Sango leapt on to her back, Miroku and Shippo quickly following suit. The two-tailed neko gave a roar and leapt skyward, seemingly running though the air in order to keep pace with Inuyasha. Something was bothering the taijiya, a question that needed answering. "Miroku, how could a yuokai survive the power of Kagome's sacred arrow?" The monk thought about that for a moment.

"The demon would have to be very powerful indeed," he replied soberly. "Unless of course, it was not a yuokai at all. Then it would just be like any other arrow to it." Sango glanced back at him.

"What are you saying?" There was a pause.

"I'm just saying that only someone with sacred power in their veins could survive a strike form one of Kagome's sacred arrows." And that was all he would say on the subject. She hated it when Miroku became all cryptic on her like that.

"Come on people! Pick up the pace!" They heard Inuyasha call from below them. "We need to keep moving if we're going to catch them!" Sango shook her head.

"Come on, Kirara!" She cried, giving chase.

"You're not a full blooded yuokai, are you?" Kagome asked, though it sounded more like a statement than a question. The ninja named Kamitsu paused in his efforts to remove her arrow from his back.

"No, I'm a hanyuo just like dog face," he replied before returning to his work. She took a step towards him.

"You know," she began carefully, "I could help you get that out." He gave a short, humorless laugh.

"So you can drive it in further?" He asked incredulously. "I think I'll pass." Kagome put her hands on her hips.

"Well, you're not doing a very good job removing it yourself," she pointed out. He struggled with it for another moment before finally giving up.

"Fine, you try it," he said to her finally. She came up behind him, inspecting the wound.

"I'm going to need something to cut it out with," she told him hesitantly. He glanced back at her for a moment before finally retrieving a dagger from his right boot. He grudgingly handed it to her, evidently not trusting her. She couldn't exactly blame him, it was her arrow in his back after all. She began to work at it, causing him to grunt in obvious discomfort. "Sorry, I'll have the arrow out in a second." He shifted slightly on the rock he was sitting on, wanting it over with. After a few more moments, she had it out and was currently trying to dress the wound. "Look, I need you to take the shirt and vest off." He glanced back at her suspiciously.

"Why?" He asked her bluntly, causing her to sigh slightly.

"So I can dress the wound," she told him. He hesitated a moment, then took off his vest and the longer sleeved shirt underneath. Kagome gasped. His back was covered in scars of all kinds, telling a tale of a hard life.

"What's wrong? Are you going to do it or not?" She hesitated for just a moment, then proceeded to clean and dress the arrow wound. Just another scar he could add to his collection. After she was finished, he stood and proceeded to get his things back on. Beyond the vest, shirt, pants and leather boots, Kamitsu wore a set of leather gauntlets and a functional belt. After strapping back on his taitou, he started off again. They had only just cleared the forest when he had stopped. Set before them was a rolling field of tall grass, and in the distance was the Kanto mountain range. It was a beautiful sight, but Kagome wasn't really in the mood to enjoy it. For just a moment, she wished she had driven the arrow deeper in to Kamitsu's back, but that thought was quickly squashed as she realized what that would mean. There was no way she could do something like that. She had a feeling, however, that her captor would have no such qualms.

"Well, come on let's go!" Kamitsu called back to her from further up ahead. She considered running, but thought better of it when she recalled how fast the half demon could move. With a resigned sigh, Kagome began to follow him towards where ever he was taking her.

Inuyasha stopped, his sensitive nose twitching as he tried to follow Kagome's scent. The ninja was good, having doubled back and gone in another direction several times to confuse any pursuers. But, Inuyasha was not one to give up that easily. Miroku, Sango and Shippo followed close behind him, careful not to get in his way. Sango's expression turned grim as she thought about what might happen to Kagome. Kirara, sensing her distress, nudged Sango's hand with her massive, furry head and gave a purr of encouragement. Sango smiled down at her, scratching her behind the ear. Kirara was currently in her yuokai form, bringing her up past Sango's waist in height. The two tail had been with her since before she had met Inuyasha and the others, her constant friend and companion through the years. Inuyasha turned south, evidently having picked up the trail again. Sango could tell that Miroku and Shippo were worried as well, the group having formed a bond of close friendship during their search for the shards of the Shikon no Tama and their constant hunt for Naraku. Sango grew angry even thinking about Naraku, an evil demon also searching for the jewel shards. She hitched up her Hiraikotsu and drove the thought of Naraku from her mind. She would need a clear head for the fight that she was sure lay ahead of them.

"We'll stop there for the night," Kamitsu stated, indicating a rather large boulder just ahead of them. The sun had almost set and Kagome _was_ feeling tired, so she wasn't about to argue. Upon reaching it, she leaned against the rock and sat down, drawing her knees up to her chest. She shivered, the night air cold against her skin. She felt something being draped over her shoulders, causing her to look up. Kamitsu had taken off his vest and was currently trying to get her to slip it on. "Here," he told her, helping her put it on, "I just remembered how frail you humans are when it comes to cold weather." When it was on, Kagome was surprised at how heavy, and warm, the material was.

"But, what about you?" She asked, causing Kamitsu to chuckle slightly.

"Don't worry about me," he told her reassuringly, "my father's people are able to survive in much colder weather than this, and fortunately it is a trait he passed on to me." The vest was just big enough for her to wrap herself up in it, the smell of spices, like paprika or cinnamon, filling her senses.

"So, your father is a yuokai?" She asked as Kamitsu sat down a few feet away. The half demon's eyes reflected the fading light, just like a cat's eyes.

"Yes, he was," he replied after a moment. "He served my lord as both bodyguard and assassin for many years." He gazed off into the distance. "Until he died doing just that." Kagome was suddenly sorry she had asked. "Now, get some sleep. We have more traveling to do in the morning."


	3. Chapter 3: Tranformation

The next morning was almost as cold as the night before, so Kamitsu let Kagome keep his vest on for the time being. The mountains were much closer now, leading Kagome to believe that was their destination. They reached them an hour or so later, but there was nothing there. Kagome even said as much, causing Kamitsu to shake his head.

"That's because you're not meant to see it," he told her before stepping into the very rock itself. Kagome's eyes widened in surprise. Kamitsu's head reemerged from the rock face. "What, never seen a barrier before?" He held out his hand to her. "Come on, let's keep going." She took his hand, letting him pull her inside. Beyond the barrier was a large cavern with a castle and a town at its center. An underground river supplied water to it and a herd of cattle was off to the far left. "Welcome to the village of the Oni people," he told her, glad to be home. "This way and watch your footing." A trail led down from the cliff they had been standing on to the cavern below. As they drew closer, Kagome realized that something was wrong. The buildings looked dilapidated and smoke was rising form the castle. Kamitsu froze, his eyes wide with fear. "Oh no." His pace quickened, leaving Kagome behind. He stopped moments after entering the town, taitou in hand. Bodies of Oni yuokai, some townsfolk and others samurai, lay strewn about along with the bodies of a variety of other yuokai as well. Kagome came up beside him, gasping in shock.

"What happened here?" Kamitsu didn't reply as they continued on. They found more of the Oni tribe lying dead as they walked. Samurai, ninjas, the young and old, whoever killed them did not discriminate between their victims. Kagome had to avert her eyes as they passed some of the more grisly scenes of death and destruction. Kamitsu kept walking on in silence, his eyes continuously scanning their surroundings for any possible threat. The castle's gates lay shattered just ahead, the corpse of a large ogre yuokai lying before them. Kamitsu rushed inside, not caring about his own safety. Inside the castle's courtyard were even more corpses, most of them yuokai the ninja didn't recognize. He rolled over one of the dead samurai, his face pale.

"Saratsu," he murmured, evidently recognizing the dead person. "He was my father's younger brother." The hanyuo straightened, scenting the air. "There's too much blood in the air," he said to no one in particular, "I can't smell anything else." He froze at a human woman's corpse. "Oh no, it's Mimi," he stated, voice hoarse. "She was my mother's niece." Kagome looked at the woman's face in disbelief. She had to be at least over sixty years old. How old was Kamitsu? The hanyuo continued on, searching for any survivors. Unfortunately, not a single person was left alive. Kamitsu stood alone for some time, quiet and still. Kagome took a step towards him.

"I'm sorry," she told him, not knowing what else to say. "Who would do something like this?" Suddenly, another corpse fell down from above, its head missing. Kamitsu's eyes widened, having recognized the armor.

"No, it can't be." They both looked up at the same time. A hole the size of a large man was set in one of the castle's walls two stories up. Through it came a fearsome creature that resembled a mix of a dragon and a serpent. Its upper body was vaguely humanoid in shape, covered in black scales that glistened in the dim light. Its hands ended in long, wicked claws and its long snout was filled with razor-like teeth. Two horns sprouted from the back of its head and its eyes glowed with a baleful light. Instead of legs it had a long, serpent's tail that ended in a serrated spike. It dropped something round at their feet that made a wet sound when it landed. Kagome cut short a scream. It was a severed head that most likely belonged to the corpse. Kamitsu staggered back, his face pale. "Lord Godai, no," he took another step back, looking up at the yuokai. "You killed him!" He drew his taitou, eyes fierce. "Damn you to hell!" Kamitsu charged, literally running up the wall at a blindingly fast pace. The yuoaki gave a toothy smile before smacking the ninja back to the ground with its tail. Kamitsu was back on his feet in an instant, rushing forward with an intensity that reminded Kagome of Inuyasha. The yuokai slithered down the wall to meet him, surprisingly fast for something so large. Kamitsu leapt at it, sword raised for a vertical strike. The monster dodged nimbly to the side, lashing out with its claws. Kamitsu fell to the ground clutching at his right side, blood flowing from between his fingers. He staggered back to his feet, pain evident in his eyes. Kagome looked around for something to use as a weapon when she caught a glimpse of the yuokai's back. An ugly, spider shaped burn scar was etched into it, the tell tale sign of one of Naraku's incarnations. The monster lashed out with the spike on the end of its tail again and again, keeping Kamitsu off balance. Kagome knew she had to do something, or else it would kill her too. Kamitsu cried out in pain as the monster sent him flying into the far castle wall. There was a loud, snapping sound as several of his ribs fractured before he fell to the ground, seemingly unconscious. The monster turned towards her, smiling.

"Where are the jewel shards?" It said in a voice more like a growl than anything else before starting towards her. "If you hand them over now, I may consider sparing your life." Something told her that it would kill her anyway. It stopped smiling, raising its tail for a strike. "Then die human!" There was movement to Kagome's left.

"Sprit Lancer!" A bolt of energy the length of a spear struck the demon in the side, sending it flying. Kagome turned to see that Kamitsu was back on his feet, the cloth that had covered his face gone. He ran to her, retrieving his sword from the ground before taking her by the hand. "Run, now!" He cried, dragging her along for the ride. The made a mad dash through the streets of the village, not stopping even to breath. They came to a halt as they rounded the corner, a dozen or so black scaled yuokai in samurai armor armed with bows waiting for them. Kamitsu pulled her back around the corner just in time to avoid the hail of arrows that followed.

"Now what?" She asked between gasps for air. He crouched down in front of her with his back turned.

"Climb on," he told her, "that way we can move faster." She did so, careful not to make his injuries worse. As soon as she was secure Kamitsu took off at a dead run, surprising her with his speed. She ducked as arrows went zipping past, sure that they would be dead in seconds. Soon the barrage of arrows had stopped and Kamitsu was still running. They were going to make it. A blast of energy exploded not ten feet in front of them, causing Kamitsu to skid to a halt. The blast had made a crater the size of a good sized house, cutting of their escape.

"Got any other ideas?" She asked him, feeling a bit more than worried at this point. He shifted her weight on his back so he was more comfortable, a smile coming to his face.

"Just one," he admitted after a moment. He ran back the way they came, putting a good fifty feet between them and the crater. He went into a flat run, wanting to build up as much speed as he could. He leapt into the air just as they had reached the crater's edge, causing Kagome to tighten her grip in alarm. He stumbled slightly as they landed on the other side, the impact having sent a jolt of pain through his side.

"Warn me the next time you're going to do something like that," she said from over his shoulder, not wanting to do that again. He kept running, ignoring her protest. They had made out of the village and were now heading for the exit when Kamitsu stopped suddenly. "What's wrong?" Kagome asked as he set her down.

"Keep going," he told her before drawing his sword, "the barrier should let you leave now." She didn't understand. "That thing is still coming for us. I'll see if I can slow it down while you escape." She started to protest when he grabbed her by the arm and gave her a not-so-gentle shove towards the exit. "Just go! Mutt face should be waiting for you on the other side by now!" He looked her right in the eyes. "Go." She needed no more urging than that, running as fast as she could for the exit. Kamitsu turned, not surprised to see the black serpent yuokai and their monstrous leader there waiting. "Alright ladies, let's dance!"

Inuyasha and the others had been able to trace their trail all the way to the mountains, where it had just stopped.

"Now what do we do?" Shippo asked, the top of his head barely reaching Sango's knee. Inuyasha didn't reply, checking for any other clues that could lead them to Kagome and the ninja.

"Could there be some sort of barrier?" Miroku wondered aloud. Inuyasha drew his Tetsusaiga, the blade turning blood red.

"There's only one way to find out," he replied with a humorless smile. Just then, the very rocked seemed to ripple as if made of water, and then Kagome burst through it. She dropped to her knees, gasping for breath. Sango knelt down beside her, concern for her friend evident.

"Are you alright?" She asked, helping a tired Kagome to her feet. She nodded, still trying to catch her breath.

"Where's that damn ninja!" Inuyasha asked heatedly, his voice a growl. Kagome, still unable to speak, just pointed at the barrier behind her. Inuyasha's brow deepened into a scowl as he prepared to take the barrier down. "I'm coming for you, you damn cat!"

Kamitsu stared down his lord's killer; his body trembling with barely contained rage. The demon chuckled.

"Shaking with fear? Godai did the same before I killed him." Kamitsu snorted derisively.

"It's _Lord_ Godai to you, and he was never afraid of anything!" The ninja spat back at it. The monster only shook its scaly head.

"Fine, but you'll die just the same as he," it told him with a shrug. It pointed at him with one clawed hand. "Kill the half breed!" The dozen or so black serpent yuokai, armed with a variety of pole arms and swords, rushed at Kamitsu en' mass. The hanyuo dropped into a fighting stance, taitou held at the ready. He dodged to the left as one yuokai thrust at him wildly with a naginata, severing its grotesque head in the same motion. Two more came at him from either side, one brandishing a pair of kamas, the other a katana. He went after the sword wielder first, slapping its weapon aside before piercing its black heart with his blade. He ripped his sword free just in time to parry the second's attack. The fact it held two weapons instead of one made no difference to the skilled ninja, it died just the same. Another thought to attack him from behind, but at the last second, Kamitsu spun and parried its wild swing and killed it with his return stroke. The move cost him, the tip of a spear piercing his side. Kamitsu cried out in pain, wrenching the weapon out of the yuokai's grasp before severing its carotid artery, spraying the ground with its black blood. With a grunt of effort, the half demon dislodged the spear, his blood oozing from the open wound. The world phased out momentarily, a sign that he had lost too much blood. With a growl of rage and pain, Kamitsu spun, driving the spear in to another yuokai's chest with enough force to drive it out the other side. The remaining half dozen paused as they saw the look of pure malice in Kamitsu's eyes. Their leader let out an ungodly roar, spurring the weaker demons in to action. Kamitsu cursed, spitting blood from a punctured lung. He felt that these were probably his last few moments in this world, and if that were the case, he decided to take as many as he could down with him.

"Come and get me!" He cried, rushing to meet them with his sword held high. He struck left, then right, felling the first two with ease. A third's sword ripped open his left arm with a well-placed strike. Kamitsu ignored the wound, deftly severing the yuokai's head with his next attack. The last three circled him warily, well aware of his skills. But, Kamitsu was badly wounded, blood loss making him weak. It was only a matter of time before one of the yuokai would be able to land the killing blow. His death seemingly close at hand, Kamitsu lost all awareness of who he was and his demon blood took complete control. The hanyuo's eyes flared blood red and his hair whipped around him as if caught in a strong breeze. Kamitsu's aura had changed from its usual pale green, to a violent shade of dark blue. The monster that led the black serpent yuokai froze in fear and confusion.

"What's happening? Why is his yuoki suddenly getting stronger?" It didn't understand. No hanyuo should have an aura this powerful. The yuokai that had been circling Kamitsu, having sensed this sudden change, fled in absolute terror at the sheer level of power the hanyuo was now radiating. Kamitsu's appearance began to change as well. Two black stripes had etched themselves in to either cheek, much like those of a tigers. Sparking bolts of silver energy began to dance up and down his arms and his gloves were shredded as razor sharp claws began to grow from his fingertips. The hanyuo began to slowly, menacingly, advance upon the confused creature that had killed everything he had ever known and loved in the world. Only one thought was at the forefront of his mind, and that was to end the life of the thing that had caused him so much pain. Kamitsu growled in rage from behind dagger like fangs, then rushed the monster full speed. The strange, silver energy that had been dancing along his arms earlier flowed down into his sword, causing it to glow with an angry light. The black-scaled monster let out a defiant roar, lashing out at Kamitsu with its tail. The hanyuo dodged the attack, still intent on killing the yuokai. The monster opened its mouth wide, a blast of energy launching itself at Kamitsu. The hanyuo stopped, bringing its sword up to block and was seemingly consumed in the violent explosion that followed.

"Everyone stand back!" Inuyasha ordered before launching his attack on the barrier before him. The Tetsusaiga flared blood red, a wave of energy lashing outward, destroying the barrier. "Here I come!" He cried, rushing into the opening that it had revealed without a second thought. Kagome staggered to her feet.

"No, Inuyasha, stop!" She shouted before running after him. Sango and Miroku both shared a look.

"Was she wearing that ninja's vest?" Sango asked Miroku after a moment. The monk nodded.

"Yes, it would appear so." He paused. "Shall we follow?" That made Sango smile slightly.

"You know they'd be hopeless without us." The taijiya remarked as if commenting on the weather. Miroku smiled as well.

"That settles it then, let's go!" The pair, along with Kirara, hastened to follow, leaving Shippo behind.

"Hey! Don't leave me!" The young kitsune, doing his best to catch up with them. Inuyasha and Kagome were on the other side waiting for them, watching something happening down below. What greeted their eyes was an interesting sight. What looked like two yuokai were fighting each other, one black scaled and serpent like, the other resembling a human armed with a familiar looking sword.

"Is that the ninja?" Sango asked. "Who's that he's fighting?" Kagome turned to her, an odd look in her eyes.

"That thing is one of Naraku's incarnations that came looking for the jewel shards Kamitsu possesses." Miroku arched an eyebrow.

"Kamitsu?" He asked, a smile tugging at his lips. "So, is it common practice for a captive to be on first name basis with their captors in your time?" Kagome glared daggers at him.

"Just what are you getting at?" She asked, trying to tell him with her eyes that he should be careful with his next words.

"Nothing, it's just that I noticed that you're wearing his vest," he replied casually. Kagome flushed slightly.

"So? I was cold and he didn't want me freezing to death," she spat back. Miroku seemed to grow thoughtful.

"So, it's that he wanted his prize in good health when presented it to his lord." The monk nodded as if it made perfect sense. "Just curious."

"He was only returning the favor I did for him by removing the arrow from his back!" Kagome was now red in the face. Miroku's smile grew wider.

"You seem awfully defensive," he went on, "considering he was only returning a favor." If Kagome blushed any harder her head would explode. Inuyasha cut them off by stepping between them.

"We don't have time to bicker!" He shouted, his gaze taking in them both. "I say we leave now and let them kill each other." Kagome turned her glare on him next.

"No! Kamitsu saved my life, so I'm not just going to run away!" She shoved past him and started down the winding path down to the cavern below. Inuyasha let out an exasperated groan before following her, the others not far behind.

Kamitsu staggered, already losing his yuokai powers from the amount of blood he had lost. The black-scaled yuokai smiled evilly.

"What's wrong, half breed?" It taunted him. "Losing your strength already?" It let out a mirthless laugh. "That's too bad, since I'm not even tired yet!" It slapped Kamitsu away with another well-placed swipe of its tail, sending him tumbling across the rocky ground in pain. He staggered back upright, back to normal once more. His vision was beginning to black out, which was not a good sign. With a growl of pain and frustration, he ripped off his torn gauntlets and gloves before driving his sword tip first into the ground. A sphere of white energy began to form in his right palm, growing to the size of a man's head. Kamitsu drew back, then launched the sphere straight at the yuokai's face. The sphere then arced upward at the last second, heading for the ceiling. The yuokai let out an amused snort. "You missed!" Kamitsu only smiled weakly.

"No," he began tiredly, "I didn't." The monster seemed confused, until a massive explosion from above shook the entire cavern. He hadn't been aiming for the yuokai, but the center mass that kept the entire mountain from caving in. "Sorry, but I don't think I'll stay for the fireworks!" And with that, Kamitsu vanished, leaving the monster to roar its rage and frustration alone as the cavern's ceiling came crashing down around it.

Kagome backpedaled suddenly, forcing the others to stop as well. The entire cave was beginning to collapse, and none of them were about to stick around for that. They ran back up the path, through the hall and out the entrance, a cloud of dust, dirt and rubble following close behind. They then stopped, save Miroku, who kept running.

"Don't stop now, the whole mountain's coming down!" He called back over his shoulder without stopping to wait for them. With the ground now quaking under their feet, the others didn't argue the point. They stopped two miles from the mountain's base, all out of breath save for Inuyasha, who watched the entire thing as it happened. The mountain collapsed from the top down, the peak the first to cave in, the rest following suit not long after. The entire process took at least twenty minutes before it finally stopped, a cloud of dust and dirt encompassing the entire area.

"Where's Kamitsu?" Kagome gasped out after a moment. Inuyasha's eyes scanned the entire area, but found no sign of the ninja anywhere.

"Too bad, I wanted to kill him myself." They heard a very haggard cough from of to their left. Inuyasha turned to see the ninja in question leaning against a nearby rock.

"You still might get that chance, mutt face." His breathing had a thick, wet sound to it, like one of his lungs was punctured. "Though, I doubt that I'll last much longer." Inuyasha smiled.

"Then I'll just have to put you out of your misery," he replied coldly. He hefted the Tetsusaiga, starting forward.

"Sit boy!" Kagome cried from behind him. There was a loud _thud_ as Inuyasha hit the ground hard, face first. He struggled to get back up and try again. "I said, SIT!" The ground cracked from the impact this time. She came to stand beside Kamitsu, her expression worried. "Are you alright?" The ninja chuckled and then spat blood.

"Do I look alright?" He asked her like it was a stupid question. Kagome turned to Sango.

"Did you bring my pack?" She asked, making the taijiya shake her head. "Then we'll just have to carry him to it." By this time Inuyasha was back on his feet.

"You might as well kill him," he told her quietly, "he'll be dead in a matter of hours anyway." Kagome shook her head in denial.

"No! I won't let him die like this after saving my life!" That made Kamitsu chuckle again before cutting it short in pain.

"You shouldn't worry about me," he told her, "because you're injured as well." Kagome looked down at herself, noticing for the first time a gash on her left shoulder.

"You're worse off than I am!" She argued with him. He didn't reply, slumping to the ground unconscious instead. She struggled to hold him up. "Sango, help me!" Inuyasha watched as the two women loaded the unconscious hanyuo on to Kirara's back, not liking the situation in the least. Miroku came to stand beside him.

"Jealous?" The monk asked. Inuyasha let out a growl of disgust. Of course he wasn't jealous, was he?


	4. Chapter 4: Forgotten Past, Part 1

A castle lay in the mountains to the east, shrouded in darkness. This is where the hanyuo Naraku felt his link to his incarnation end.  
"So, Drasune has failed," he murmured with a sense of slight annoyance. "No matter, where one fails many can succeed." The shadows on the far wall separated from it, becoming several dark shapes. Naraku turned to them, a smile on his face. "Go now and bring me the jewel shards the hanyuo Kamitsu possesses," he ordered them. "Do not fail me, or you shall suffer the same fate as that weakling Drasune." The shadowy figures moved away, seemingly melting into the darkness. Naraku turned to the room's only doorway and stepped out of it. "Soon, ultimate power shall be mine."

Kaiede sat in her small hut, enjoying a cup of freshly made tea when she heard noises coming from out side. She set the cup down, got up and opened the flap that served as a door. Kagome was there, Sango and Miroku helping her pull a seriously injured man off of Kirara's back.  
"What happened to ye child?" The old woman asked in alarm. Kagome moved to the side slightly, revealing that the man had blue hair and pointed ears.  
"Kaiede, this man is hurt bad!" Kagome exclaimed. "Can we use your hut so we can treat his wounds?" Kaiede was surprised that she felt she had to ask.  
"Of course ye can, child," she replied, "but, tell me, what happened?" Kagome looked at her with tired eyes.  
"Naraku happened."

Sango knelt next to Kamitsu's battered and bandaged form and let out a yawn. It was her turn to watch over the hanyuo and alert the others if his condition changed. She and Kagome had spent over an hour treating his wounds. Several of his injuries were pretty bad; others were simply small cuts and bruises. He'd been drifting in and out of consciousness for hours since then, not staying awake long enough to even mumble a few words. She stood up to stretch when she heard the hut's door flap being pulled aside. She turned, hand reaching for her hiraikotsu. Miroku stepped through it and stopped when he saw that she had her weapon in hand.  
"Maybe I should come back later," he said, preparing to leave. Sango set down the hiraikotsu with a sigh.  
"No, Miroku," she replied tiredly, "you can stay, as long as you don't get any ideas." Miroku's expression turned to one of innocence.  
"Now, Sango, what have I done to earn such mistrust?" He asked, making Sango frown slightly.  
"Don't act like all those times you grabbed my ass didn't happen, you dirty monk!" She spat, her temper flaring. Miroku batted his hands in the air in a placating motion.  
"Easy, Sango," he said in what he hoped was a calming manner, "I never felt anything from you to discourage me from doing so." The demon taijiya's eyes narrowed dangerously.  
"How would you like to feel my fist hit your face!" Miroku's expression grew worried.  
"Now, now there's no need to get violent!" He pleaded with her. "Besides I have a peace offering." He reached inside his robe and pulled out two sweet bean buns. Sango eyed them and him suspiciously.  
"And?" She took a hesitant step forward, feeling quite hungry. "What's the catch?" Miroku held out one to her.  
"No catch, just thought you might be a little hungry," he told her innocently. She took another step forward, then quickly snatched the sweet bun from his hand.  
"Thank you," she murmured before taking a bite from it. It was definitely good, making her want to scarf it down, but she ate it slowly, taking up her position at Kamitsu's side as she did so. Miroku knelt down next to her, taking a bite from his as well.  
"How's he doing?" He asked in hope of striking up a conversation with her. Sango stopped eating for a moment.  
"No changes as of yet," she replied tiredly. "Kamitsu's been coming in and out of consciousness for the past few hours, but nothing other than that." She gave a tired yawn before continuing to eat her bun.  
"How long has it been since you last slept?" Miroku asked, concerned for her health. Sango shrugged.  
"Ten, maybe twelve hours." She told him, causing the monk to frown slightly. "Don't worry, I'll be fine. Besides, it won't be Inuyasha's turn for another two hours." He placed a hand on her shoulder suddenly.  
"You know," he began carefully, "there are other ways we could be spending the time." There was a loud crack as Sango slapped him across the face.  
"How dare you!" She began angrily. "How could you even suggest such a thing!" Miroku sighed heavily and then stood, heading for the door flap.  
"I was about to suggest a game I learned from Kagome that involves the use of cards," he said before walking out. Sango blushed furiously. That she had been thinking about that and Miroku wasn't truly shocked her. She quickly stood, heading after him.  
"Miroku, wait!" She called before stepping out.

Kamitsu's eyes opened slightly as he scanned the hut. The taijiya and monk had left, leaving him alone. It was the middle of the night; he could easily slip out without drawing anyone's attention. He sat up slowly, aware of a sharp twinge of pain in his side as he did so. He frowned, realizing that he wouldn't get very far in his present state. The act of standing itself took more effort than he liked, leaving him clutching at his side in agony.

"Oh, damn it," he groaned aloud. He took a step outside, breathing in the crisp night air. He smelled water nearby, noticing that he was in need of a bath.  
"Where're you off to, ya scrawny cat?" Inuyasha asked from off to his right. Kamitsu turned, suddenly feeling annoyed.  
"What do you want, mutt face?" He asked in turn. Inuyasha growled at him, tightening his grip on the Tetsusaiga.  
"What was that!" He asked angrily, taking a step forward. "You want to fight me, ya damn cat!" Kamitsu would have gladly obliged, had he not been in so much pain.  
"Maybe some other time," he said, turning to where he smelled the water coming from, "but right now, I need a bath." And he kept walking, ignoring Inuyasha's attempts to goad him into fight. "See you around, dog boy!"

"Miroku, wait!" Sango called to the monk, following after him. Miroku turned with a sigh, wondering if she was going to slap him again. She stopped a few feet from him, feeling deeply ashamed of herself. "I…I shouldn't have slapped you like that, Miroku, I'm sorry." The monk blinked in confusion, not sure he had heard her right. She blushed self-consciously under his curious gaze. Finally, Miroku smiled.  
"That's okay, it's not like I've given you any reason to trust me in that manner." She didn't argue with him about that. "Apology accepted." He looked behind her at something. "Hey, isn't that Kamitsu?" Sango spun, seeing that indeed it was the half demon.

"Oh no!" She exclaimed, pushing past Miroku to follow him. "I better stop him before Inuyasha does!"

Kamitsu sank into the spring with a sigh, the hot water doing wonders for the pain he felt. It had been awhile since the last time he had been able to relax, and he planned to enjoy it for as long as possible. He didn't know how long he had been sitting there in the water, but he came back to himself suddenly, the loud snap of a tree branch being stepped on drawing his attention. He sprang from the water in a flash, dropping into a fighting stance as he faced the person who had disturbed his fleeting moment of peace. His eyes widened in surprise when he realized the figure was the taijiya from before, Sango he believed. The human stood staring at him, her face beet red.

"What are you…?" He stopped, suddenly realizing why she was staring at him. He wasn't wearing any clothes. With a short cry of embarrassment and surprise, Kamitsu leapt behind the rock where he had placed his clothes, face red from how mortified he felt. Sango turned away, her face turning nearly purple, more than a little embarrassed by the fact she had been staring at the naked half demon.

"How could you just leap out at me like that!" She cried in a semblance of outrage as she tried to get the image of his nude form, with his chiseled muscles and hard physique, out of her mind. T he darkness had kept the rest of him thankfully out of sight, but what she did see…

"How was I supposed to know it was you when you just snuck up on me like that!" He asked, anger seeping into his voice. "You could have been a murderous yuokai or something!" Sango's temper flared, her embarrassment momentarily forgotten.

"It's not my fault you didn't tell anyone where you were going!" She spat back, causing Kamitsu to snort in disbelief. The human was trying to cast the blame on _him_!

"Now it's my fault? Is it a crime now, to bathe in private in this province!" The hanyuo's own temper, gained from his human mother, flashed to the surface. "Besides, I told the damn mutt I was going to take a bath just before I left!" Sango spun to face the rock he was getting dressed behind, her cheek twitching as she fought to keep from going over and throttling the ninja.

"Inuyasha has the memory span of a log, so telling him anything important is pointless!" He stood, fully clothed once more, his green eyes smoldering.

"Maybe you should train your dogs better!" He said in a near shout, getting right in the taijiya's face. Her teeth ground in anger as she glared at Kamitsu with barely an inch separating them.

"Listen, kitten," she began without thinking, "you're this close from me adding to those injuries of yours!" The hanyuo bristled at the word kitten'.

"Why don't you go ahead and try it!" He hissed dangerously, fingers clenched into fists so hard that his knuckles were turning white. They stood there for a long moment, so close to each other that they could feel the heat of the other's breath on their face. With a growl of frustration, Kamitsu turned away first, his pulse quickening and his breath coming in short gasps as he fought for control of his emotions. Sango looked at him in confusion, not realizing what was happening, thinking that she had gone too far. The hanyuo's back was to her, hiding his face.

"Kamitsu?" She asked, doing her best to keep her voice calm and steady. Kamitsu didn't reply, the hanyuo not trusting his own voice at the moment. He shuddered, wondering why the taijiya's scent was so…_alluring_ was the only word he could think of. The only thing he could think of when he had been that close to her was how much he _wanted_ her.

_Damn,_ he thought, _why now, of all times!_ He shuddered involuntarily, trying to regain control of himself, but her scent permeated his senses, driving him insane. Sango placed a wary hand on his shoulder.

"Are you okay?" She asked, concerned that he could be ill from an infection. Her hand was warm, causing Kamitsu to shudder again. He felt hot, like every inch of his skin was on fire. He knew she was speaking to him but he couldn't make out the words. He looked at her face, glad it was dark so she wouldn't see how wild his eyes must look. She was concerned for _him._ No one was ever _concerned_ about him, except maybe _her_... He jerked away from Sango's touch, not wanting feel this way any more. He didn't care if it made him out to be an asshole or not, it was just that her touch brought up memories he didn't want coming back to the surface. Ever.

"I'm fine," he replied gruffly, his voice hoarse. "I…I'm just tired, that's all." Sango sighed, not understanding him at all.

"Well, if you're sure you're alright," she said with a slight shrug. "If you're tired you should go back to the hut and get some rest." He nodded jerkily.

"Yeah, I'll do that." His voice still didn't sound the least bit normal. _Damn it, Kamitsu,_ he thought, _get it under control!_ He took a deep, calming breath, found his center and focused on getting his emotions back on a short leash. After a moment he turned back to her, cool and back in control again. Then his ears twitched as he heard something. It was a faint rustling sound, like that of someone trying to move quietly. He sniffed the air and snorted in disgust. "Black serpent yuokai!" He growled, his earlier discomfort gone. Sango tensed, realizing that she had left her hiraikotsu behind when she had followed him.

"Shouldn't we be getting back to the others?" She asked, to which Kamitsu shook his head. He kept his eyes on the surrounding forest when he replied:

"No, they're all around us now, we'd never make it." Somehow, that made Sango feel even worse.

"Great, then how are we gonna fight back?" She asked with a wave of her right hand. "In case you hadn't noticed, neither of us are armed." He smiled, flexing his hands so that six inch claws sprouted from the tips of his fingers.

"I don't need a weapon," he told her, causing her to sigh.

"Well, bully for you," she said with a sense of vexation, "but that still leaves me unarmed!" He gave her a gaelic shrug.

"Don't worry, I'll protect you." Sango crossed her arms under her breasts with a resigned sigh.

"Great, I feel safer already."

Inuyasha sat atop Kaiede's hut, arms folded across his chest in obvious thought. He mostly thought about what he was going to do with the cat hanyuo, Kamitsu. Personally, he just wanted to kill him and be done with it, but Kagome wouldn't be too happy with that. That was another thing that bothered him. Why, after Kamitsu kidnapped her against her will, did she insist that he not be harmed? What if he tried to leave with the jewel shards? Inuyasha let out a growl of frustration. Kagome was _his_, damn it, so why did she have to be so difficult! That stopped Inuyasha's train of thought cold. He had referred to Kagome as if she were his mate. Well, he couldn't deny that he found her attractive, but as a mate… With how much they fought each other and all the times she'd sent him crashing face first into the dirt with only a single word, the casual observer wouldn't think so. But, then again…

"_I love you as a half demon, Inuyasha!"_

Inuyasha blushed at the memory of what had followed those words. True, it had been meant to change him back to normal, but she had still kissed him. He gave himself a vigorous shake, dispelling the memories. He drew in a deep, relaxing breath and froze. The night air was heavy with the stink of demons. Inuyasha mentally kicked himself in the ass for not smelling it sooner. He leapt down from the hut's roof, sword hand tightening around the hilt of the Tetsusaiga.

"So, this is the infamous Inuyasha," a voice called from the darkness. "Hmph, I'd thought you'd be taller." The hanyuo smiled wryly.

"Sorry to disappoint you," he told whoever it was sardonically. "Why don't you come out so I can see you?" The yuokai chuckled.

"As you wish," the voice replied. The shadows to Inuyasha's immediate left seem to ripple, then took on a human-like shape. The figure stepped forward, revealing that it was female. Inuyasha just gaped at her, not believing his eyes. The woman was dressed almost exactly like Kamitsu, and, if he didn't know any better, she could have been his sister. The only difference between them was the fact she was female, with burgundy eyes and raven black hair.

"Who the hell are you!" He growled fiercely in an effort to shake off his confusion. The female yuokai smiled.

"My name is Kamilla," she replied, twin energy swords forming in her hands, "and I have come for the jewel shards Kamitsu possesses."

"How the fuck do you know Kamitsu!" He asked tersely. Kamilla laughed, a light silvery sound, like bells. Inuyasha snorted derisively. _Yeah_, he thought, _more like demonic bells._

"Why, he's me brother of course," she told him as if she was commenting on the weather. The hanyuo gaped at her, not believing his ears. "Now stand aside!" Her cry cut through his shock like a blade.

"I don't care if you're his mother, cause you ain't getting em'!" He roared, charging her head on. "Iron Reaver Soul Stealer!" His claws whizzed through the air where the yuokai used to be. He heard her laughter from behind him.

"Is this the best the infamous Inuyasha can do?" She asked incredulously. "Because, if it is, you'll just have to die!" He spun, drawing the Tetsusaiga in the same movement.

"Taste Kaze no Kizu!"

An explosion from outside rocked Kaiede's hut violently.

"What was that?" Kagome asked, startled by the sudden blast. Kaiede's face turned grim.

"I believe that Inuyasha is doing battle with some unwanted guests that have come looking for your new half demon friend," the old woman replied sagely. Miroku took up his staff and stood.

"Come on, Kagome, he'll need our help," he observed before turning to the hut's door flap. Kagome nodded and stood, grabbing her bow and quiver of arrows before following him.

"Right behind you," she called after him as the door flap swung closed behind her. Kaiede wished she were about twenty years younger so she could fight alongside them, but all she could do now was pray for their safety.

"Take this!" Kamitsu cried, using his claws to tare into the enemy's ranks. The number of black serpent yuokai seemed infinite, but that had never stopped the hanyuo before, so he wasn't about to start now. A spear tip bit into his side, drawing blood and causing Kamitsu to grunt in pain. He rolled with it, ripping the spear out of its owner's grasp before using the weapon to impale the offending yuokai. He glanced back at Sango for just a moment before turning back to his opponent in time to slap aside a clumsy thrust of a yuokai's sword. He used its unbalance against it, hurling the black scaled monster into a nearby tree. Another yuokai got in a lucky shot, opening up a large gash across his chest. Blood streamed from the wound, but Kamitsu hardly noticed as he tore out the demon's throat with his claws. He glanced back again, only to see Sango bashing a demon's brains out with a rather large tree branch she was using as a make shift club. "Sango, what are you still doing here!" The demon taijiya didn't reply at first, instead making good use of the opportunity to smash a black serpent yuokai up side the head.

"Did you think I'd let you have all the fun?" She asked in turn before crushing that same demon's skull with another well-placed strike. Kamitsu shook his head in amazement, not knowing if she was foolish or just plain crazy. He relieved a dead yuokai of its katana. It was nothing like his taitou, but it killed things just the same, so he couldn't complain. To prove his own point, so to speak, he eviscerated another yuokai and watched it fall, trying to hold in its own entrails even as it died. It was going to be a long night.


	5. Chapter 5: Forgotten Past, Part 2

Kagome swallowed the lump that had risen in her throat. The black serpent yuokai were back, and in much larger numbers. She stood back to back with Miroku, for once not worried about if he was going to feel her up. She notched arrow to bowstring, determined not to get killed.

"Hey, Kagome," Miroku began, causing her to halfway turn towards him. She froze with a startled gasp. She stood corrected. He was _never_ going to change. "Remember to stay firm out there, okay?" She answered by smacking him up side of the head with her bow, leaving a painful lump.

"Jesus, Miroku, can't you be something other than a lecherous bastard for a change!" How dare he even _think_ of touching one of her breasts, especially at a time like this? She turned back to the slightly impatient group of demons. "Keep your hands to yourself!" The monk rubbed at the lump she had left with a sigh.

"I can't help it," he told her, holding up his left hand. "I swear my hand's possessed by a yuokai, or something!" Kagome let out a derisive snort that would have done Inuyasha proud.

"Then, once we're done with these guys, how about I chop it off?" Miroku gave a marginally depressed sigh.

"Great, another Sango, that's just what this group needs." She ignored him, drawing bead on the nearest demon.

"Fight now, complain later!" She cried, firing an arrow charged with her own spiritual energy into the mass of black serpent demons. The deadly missile cut a bloody swath in their ranks, destroying a dozen of them in one blow. Kagome panted from the effort required to use that much energy at one time, sweat beading on her forehead. _Man am I gonna pay for that later,_ she thought as Miroku wielded his staff to deadly effect behind her. The spiritual energy he could channel into the weapon allowed it to cut through most demons like they were air. If they hadn't been in the village he would be using his Wind Tunnel, but there was the chance he could hurt people here. She fired her next arrow, taking out the next demon in line as they charged. She suppressed a groan. "This is really gonna suck!"

"Kaze no Kizu!" The energy wave missed its mark by bare centimeters, doing wonders to destroy the landscape but leaving the yuokai Kamilla untouched. _How the hell does she keep doing that?_ The hanyuo thought, exasperated by the fact he couldn't even scratch her.

"Come on, mongrel, is this the best you have?" She taunted, grating on Inuyasha's last nerve. He rushed at her once again, the Tetsusaiga a flashing blur as it scythed through the air, aimed at the yuokai's head. She ducked under the swing, twin energy blades cutting deep into Inuyasha's chest and abdomen. The hanyuo staggered back, cursing vehemently. With an enraged growl, he launched a series of faster-than-the-eye-can-follow swings of his sword, keeping Kamilla off balance. The final swing struck home, cutting open her right side from front to back. The yuokai leapt back, hissing in pain.

"How's that?" Inuyasha growled, pleased that he had finally managed to score a hit. "Good enough for ya?" She didn't reply at first, seemingly surprised that she was bleeding. She gave herself a visible shake, then gave him a humorless smile.

"Not bad, mutt, not bad at all!" She hissed, backing up another step. "I think I've kept you busy long enough." Inuyasha was confused, not understanding. "Kimona should have collected the jewel shards from our erstwhile sibling, so I think I'll take my leave. See you around, dog boy!" Before Inuyasha could act, the yuokai slipped into the shadows and disappeared.

"Damn it!" Inuyasha cried as he ran off to find Kamitsu and this Kimona' that was after the jewel shards. Why did things always have to be so damn complicated?

Kamitsu let out a sigh of relief as the last black serpent yuokai fell dead. There must have been over a hundred of the scaly bastards strewn across the forest floor. Sango collapsed against a nearby tree, her breath coming in ragged gasps.

"Let's not do that again anytime soon," she said in between breaths. She didn't understand why she was so tired. If she couldn't fight a hundred minor yuokai without being winded afterwards, she must be getting out of practice. Kamitsu sank down across from her, gritting his teeth against a sudden stab of pain. Not only had his previous injuries been torn open, he had at least a dozen fresh ones to add to them. Tonight was just not his night. Even though the black serpent yuokai were defeated, the hanyuo still felt ill at ease. It was almost as if…

"We're being watched," he stated, eyes on the darkness around them. Sango tensed, reaching for the tree branch that had served as a makeshift club. The darkness to their right shifted and took form. "Sango, look out!" Kamitsu cried a second too late as the shadowy figure leapt from the darkness, striking out at the taijiya while her back was turned. Sango fell forward with a groan, unconscious. The figure turned, the darkness surrounding it beginning to take a more defined shape. Kamitsu couldn't help but be amazed by how much the female yuokai the darkness became looked like him, even down to her outfit. Only her silver hair and lavender eyes were different, and of course that she was so obviously a woman. She smiled at him, a look he couldn't place entering her eyes.

"Kamitsu, it's so nice to see you again," she purred, sending a cold chill down his spine. "We've all missed you _so_ terribly, dear brother." The hanyuo froze in shock. Had she just called him her brother? That just wasn't possible!

"What are you talking about? I'm an only child!" The yuokai simply laughed at him.

"Perhaps your human mother's only child, but not our father's!" She spat back, her face twisted with disgust and anger. "Why he ever chose to mate with a human is beyond me, but here you are because of it." Her expression calmed and she was once again smiling. "That's why we came, after all, you are our sibling even if only by father's blood inside you." Kamitsu gaped at her, feeling numb inside. "I can tell it's hard for you to accept, but if you don't come with us, Naraku, our father, will be most unhappy." The use of Naraku's name shocked Kamitsu out of his numbed state.

"What the fuck are you talking about! My father's name was Hiratsu, not Naraku!" The hanyuo could barely contain his rage. "My father was a kind man, even though sometimes in the service of Lord Godai he was forced to be ruthless. I heard from Inuyasha and Kagome who Naraku is and he sure as hell isn't my father!" The yuokai chuckled, finding him to be such an amusing half demon.

"Those fools that raised you weren't you're real parents," she told him. "They were merely pawns to make you what you are today." She went on mercilessly, enjoying how he paled at her words. "If you want proof, here it is!" She gestured with her right hand and suddenly a horrible, searing pain enveloped Kamitsu's back, causing him to fall to his knees, screaming in pain. It felt as if someone was burning something into his flesh and by God it hurt! "Don't worry, brother Kamitsu, it won't hurt for long," the yuokai purred. "You should be thankful our father has decided to give you a chance to redeem yourself after destroying his pet, Drasune." Her words seemed to be coming from far away as the pain grew in its intensity. Sango sat up slowly, her head feeling like it was going to explode. She could hear someone screaming in pain. It all came back in a rush. She and Kamitsu had been attacked by yuokai, then something hit her from behind. Her vision cleared, allowing her to see Kamitsu kneeling on the ground, his back to her as he continued to scream. Smoke was curling up from his back, his shirt smoldering as if his flesh were on fire. A female yuokai stood in front of him, a viciously cruel smile on her face. Sango tried to stand, but her vision blurred and she fell back to the ground. Kamitsu stopped screaming suddenly, having passed out from the pain, and fell forward. The yuokai walked up to his unconscious form, reached down and took the pouch with the jewel shards from Kamitsu's belt. Then, she strolled into the shadows and vanished without a trace. Sango crawled, still unable to stand without falling back down, over to Kamitsu and promptly passed out.

Kagome staggered back and fell on her ass trying to get away from the yuokai in front of her. She had just run out of arrows and Miroku was in no position to help her. She screamed as it brought its sword crashing down.

"Kaze no Kizu!" The energy wave smashed into the monster in front of her and the other remaining demons, obliterating them in a single stroke. Kagome stopped screaming, head turning to the energy wave's source.

"Inuyasha!" She cried, overjoyed that the inu hanyuo had come to her rescue. She scrambled to her feet and rushed to meet him, enveloping him in a fierce hug. " I'm so glad you came!" Inuyasha, not really sure what to say or do, simply patted her back awkwardly with his free hand. Miroku, battered and bruised but no worse for wear, came to stand beside them.

"So good of you to make it," the monk said cheerfully, actually meaning it. The hanyuo gave him a nod over Kagome's head.

"It's no big deal," he replied before stepping out of Kagome's embrace. "Have either of you seen Kamitsu?" Kagome shook her head, but Miroku nodded.

"Yeah, he was headed to the hot spring the last time I saw him, why?" The inu hanyuo frowned.

"That's what I figured," he muttered, eyes serious. "These yuokai are here for the jewel shards he has, and I'm not gonna let them have em!" He turned to the forest and broke into a run, leaving Miroku and Kagome behind. It wasn't long before he found Sango and Kamitsu among a hundred or so dead black serpent yuokai, both of them unconscious. The pouch on Kamitsu's belt that contained the jewel shards was gone. Inuyasha roared his frustration, driving the Tetsusaiga tip first into the ground. Kagome and Miroku arrived moments later, both out of breath.

"What's wrong, Inuyasha?" Kagome asked between gasps for air. The hanyuo didn't reply, instead gesturing to Kamitsu's belt.

"The pouch with the jewel shards is gone!" Miroku exclaimed, once more stating the bloody obvious. Inuyasha growled as he stared off into the forest.

"Yeah, I was too late, this time."

Naraku smiled coldly as three shadowy forms appeared in front of him in the recesses of his castle.

"So, you succeeded then?" He asked, though he already knew the answer. The figure in the middle stepped forward, already taking the shape of the yuokai Kamilla.

"Yes, my lord Naraku," she told him respectfully as she went down to one knee in front of him, wincing involuntarily at the pain in her side. Naraku noted this through narrowed eyes.

"You are injured," he stated, though not because he was worried about her health. Kamilla knew this, growing fearful.

"It is nothing, a mere scratch," she told him hurriedly. "It will not affect my ability to serve you, my lord." He sensed her fear and couldn't help but chuckle. The yuokai shivered at this, her worry over what he would do evident.

"That was careless of you, Kamilla," he stated mercilessly. "Do not let it happen again." Her relief over the fact he wasn't going to kill her was a nearly tangible thing. "And the jewel shards?" The figure to Kamilla's right took form and stepped forward, going to one knee as well as she presented them to him.

"For you, Lord Naraku," the silver haired Kimona purred. He took them from her, smiling unpleasantly as he did so.

"What of Kamitsu?" He asked, his voice as cold and dark as frozen midnight. Kimona trembled slightly at his tone but fought it off.

"I have done as you instructed, my lord," she replied, unable to keep a slight quaver out of her voice. Naraku looked up at the third figure.

"You know what to do," he said before turning to the room's decrepit alter to set the jewel shards on it. "Only one thing remains. Find it and bring it to me."

Kamitsu was cold, so very cold. It was dark where his mind was, oh so very dark. Something was chasing him, something black and menacing and if it caught him it would take his mind and soul. He could just feel it. No matter how fast he ran, however, it was always right behind him, like Death on black wings. Now it was steadily getting closer and closer, ready to envelope him in its darkness.

_You are mine now,_ it hissed as it closed in for the kill. The last thing he saw were its eyes as its wings closed in around him.

Kamitsu sat bolt upright, stifling his own scream of terror. He was in a hut, much like the one from before. In fact, it _was_ the hut from before. It would seem the others had found him and brought him here. But, what about the taijiya, Sango? He stood with a groan, finding once again that he was without a shirt and bandaged. And what had become of the demon that had claimed to be his sister? He just couldn't remember anything past when she had said that. He walked to the hut's door flap and froze, having heard voices from outside.

"You saw that mark on his back!" Someone, Inuyasha from the gruff tone, exclaimed loudly. "He can't be trusted!"

"Of course I saw it! How could I miss it, considering I helped treat his wounds!" That was Kagome for sure. It would seem that they were in the middle of an argument about someone. "If Kamitsu wanted to hurt us he would have already!" So _he_ was what they were fighting about. But, why?

"How can you be so sure?" Inuyasha again. "How do we know that this isn't just another one of Naraku's schemes?" Naraku? What did he have to do with this? "He could be here to kill us and we'd never know!" Kamitsu had been able to catch bits of conversation about this Naraku earlier and what he had heard wasn't good. "Not to mention the spider shaped burn scar on Kamitsu's back! Only Naraku and his incarnations have that!" Kamitsu was stunned, remembering what had happened to him earlier. The searing pain, as if something was being burned into is back. It couldn't be!

"He has a point, Kagome," this voice belonged to the monk. "How can we be sure he wasn't the one that hurt Sango?" Now Kamitsu understood, they thought he was an incarnation of Naraku and had been sent to harm them. Unfortunately, they could be right. What if Naraku was his father? Then there was that strange dream…no! Naraku was not his father and he would prove it by killing him! His sword and vest once again in his possession, the half demon slipped out of sight and vanished.


	6. Chapter 6: Brother

"Damn it! Where the hell did he go!" Inuyasha growled fiercely as he looked upon Kaiede's empty hut. "I knew he couldn't be trusted!" Kagome frowned.

"Why would he take off like this?" She asked no one in particular. "Unless…he heard us talking!" Inuyasha gave a derisive snort, causing Kagome to glare at him. "Well, how would you feel if people were saying things like that?" The inu hanyuo's eyes narrowed.

"Yeah, or he really was one of Naraku's incarnations and went to report back to him," he muttered glaring at the trees, the ground, but making sure he didn't glare at her. His head hurt enough as it was without her saying the "s" word.

"Or it could be another of Naraku's tricks!" She retorted loudly, looking a little angry. "Or maybe he doesn't realize it, like Onigumo!" At this point, as things looked ready to turn violent, Miroku stepped in.

"Come on you two, calm down," the monk began sternly, feeling as if he was pulling apart a couple of children as he stepped between them. "We have enough problems without the two of you fighting like spoiled children!" They both glared daggers at him.

"What's that supposed to mean!" They both shouted at the same time, looking like they could commit murder. Miroku backed up a few steps.

"Uh, what I mean is that we should be focusing on finding Naraku," he quickly amended, which seemed to calm them a little bit. "I have a feeling, that if we find Naraku, we'll find Kamitsu as well."

Kamitsu rushed across a series of rice paddies, following the scent of the demon who had claimed to be his sister. The trail was painfully obvious; even a child could follow it. The answer was simple: he was being lured into a trap. It didn't matter; he _would_ find and kill Naraku even at the expense of his own life. Even after seeing the spider shaped burn scar on his back for himself, the hanyuo would not accept it. Naraku was _not_ his father, and he would prove it! The scent of the female yuokai was getting stronger by the mile. It wouldn't be long now until he reached his goal.

"Naraku, I will kill you!"

"So, ye are heading off alone then?" Kaiede asked as Inuyasha walked past. The hanyuo paused, turning to face her.

"I'm going to find that damn cat, and if the others go with me they'll only slow me down!" He spat before continuing on. His answer made Kaiede smile.

"So, it's not because ye are worried about their safety?" She asked in a knowing tone. The inu hanyuo gave a short growl before storming off into the woods. The old, wizened miko chuckled. "You're human heart shows its face again, Inuyasha," she murmured. "I only hope what ye are about to go through doesn't force it into hiding once more." With that, she returned to her hut and brewed some tea. In less than five minutes, Kagome appeared at her door looking distressed.

"Kaiede, where's Inuyasha?" She asked, feeling that she already knew. The old woman looked up at her from her tea brewing.

"He has, and I quote, gone to find that damn cat'," she replied, not surprised to see the young woman rush off after the half demon as soon as she was finished talking. "Young people are so impatient." Moments later, Sango, Miroku, Kirara and Shippo went hurrying by. Kaiede bowed her head and said a silent prayer. "Luck be with thee, children."

Kamitsu stood at the base of a mountain, gazing up at its peak above. He had tracked his "sister" to this place and then the trail stopped.

"Now what?" He grumbled, looking around. The evening air was crisp here, the first signs of autumn in the trees. The hanyuo frowned, his eyes searching the skyline. It would be night soon, the first night of the full moon. He sighed, heading deeper into the forest at the mountain's base. Kamitsu placed his left hand on the trunk of one of the older trees, reaching out with his mind as he had been taught by his mother. The massive pine's consciousness was sluggish, but it did remember several figures, for it could not tell them apart being a plant, passing by in the last few days. The hanyuo withdrew his thoughts, feeling troubled. If there was anyone with his "sister", surely he would have smelled them.

"Greetings, brother," a low voice whispered in his ear. "You have finally caught up with us." Kamitsu spun drawing his sword. The yuokai before him could have been his identical twin, save his eyes and hair were darker than Kamitsu's. He bore no weapons, but he seemed to radiate a sense of barely restrained violence. "So good of you to come, brother, for now the fun can begin." Kamitsu's eyes darted to the left, then right, looking for an escape and finding none. There was no way he could fight this yuokai now, not tonight! "What's wrong? You look frightened, little brother," his voice was warm, soothing, a stark contrast to his yuoki. Kamitsu took a step back, sword held at a guard position. He had to get away, right now.

"Spirit Lancer!" The hanyuo cried, sending a bolt of blue-white energy flying from his palm. The blast took his yuokai counterpart right in the chest, hurling him backwards thirty feet. Kamitsu was running before the he could recover, the hanyuo's legs propelling him forward at a supernatural pace.

"That was awfully rude of you, brother," the yuokai stated, sounding hurt. He was on Kamitsu's left, easily keeping pace with the hanyuo despite the ninja's best efforts. The hanyuo growled in frustration, lashing out with his sword. His yuokai twin leapt over it, striking out with his fist on the way back down. The punch struck Kamitsu in the face, sending him tumbling down hill, hitting every out jut of rock and gnarled root on his way down. He finally rolled to a stop, battered and bruised but still able to move. The yuokai was on him in seconds, driving his knee into the hanyuo's abdomen. All the air was blasted from Kamitsu's lungs in an instant, doubling him over in pain. His twin, his doppelganger, struck him again with an uppercut, knocking him flying backwards into a small boulder. The rock shattered on impact, covering the hanyuo in rubble. The doppelganger walked towards him slowly, grinning viciously. "What fun! I haven't had this kind of entertainment in months!" The yuokai exclaimed laughingly. "Our father wanted me to get something for him, but I don't think he'll mind me roughing you up a bit before I do." Kamitsu crawled out from under the shards of rock, blood streaming from his now reopened injuries.

"Damn it!" He coughed, spitting up blood. It was like looking at an insane mirror image of himself, save that _this_ yuokai was far stronger than he. With only moments before the moon would rise and his malicious twin closing in, Kamitsu was forced to retreat once more. "Kumori Jutsu!" With this phrase, the hanyuo ninja vanished without a trace. The doppelganger frowned.

"Damn and things were just getting fun, too."

Inuyasha bounded up the slope of the forest path, his senses open for any signs of an attack. He stopped upon reaching the top, seeing a battered looking man dressed in the torn garb of a ninja. The man staggered, tried to regain his balance and fell face first to the ground. The inu hanyuo approached him cautiously, aware that it could be a trick. He rolled the man on to his back with his foot and stared in surprise. It was the hanyuo, Kamitsu, but he was in human form. Inuyasha looked up at the sky, seeing that it was the first night of the full moon. Every hanyuo lost their demonic powers one night every month and for Inuyasha it was the night of the new moon, but for the ninja it would seem he lost them during the full moon. It must have been hell for him during the time Kaguya made it the full moon _every_ night. Inuyasha chuckled, slinging the unconscious ninja over one shoulder. At least Kagome wouldn't be angry for a change; he was sparing his life after all. He started back down slope, grumbling about Kamitsu's dead weight even though it didn't really bother him.

"When we get back, I'm gonna tie you to the Sacred Tree if I have to ta keep you from going anywhere," Inuyasha growled tersely. "I don't care what Kagome says or does, the next time you try taking off I'll cut you're legs off below the knees!" Kamitsu, who was still unconscious, heard none of this and remained inert. Inuyasha continued to complain in this manner as he walked, until finally they encountered Kagome and the others on their way looking for two hanyuos.

"Inuyasha, what did you do?" Shippo asked in his slightly annoying voice. The inu hanyuo didn't reply at first, dumping the unconscious Kamitsu unceremoniously to the ground.

"I didn't do anything," he replied finally, rolling his shoulders. "I found the idiot like this. Most likely he actually found Naraku and that's the reason he's so thrashed." Kagome helped Miroku get him onto Kirara's back while Sango went to talk to Inuyasha.

"Did you find anything else?" The taijiya asked, shifting her hiraikotsu to a more comfortable position. The inu hanyuo shrugged.

"Not really," he mumbled with a stretch, "but I did smell something odd." This he added as an after thought but Sango pressed him to tell her what he meant. "Well, it was kinda like crushed flowers but with a more…I don't know! The only thing I can think of is the smell of death." Sango frowned.

"What do you mean, like the smell of graveyard soil?" She asked, remembering their recent encounters with the Band of Seven. Inuyasha shook his head.

"No, it was different, like the smell of an old battlefield," he replied, scratching one of his ears in thought. "Yeah, the last time I encountered a smell like that was years ago when I passed through a ruined castle town." The taijiya was relieved it wasn't the smell of reanimated corpses, but she was also disturbed by what the hanyuo had said. The smell of an old battlefield? Well, that didn't matter at the moment. Kamitsu was badly hurt and needed medical attention right away.

"I hope this proves to you he's not Naraku's servant," Sango said, giving him a pointed look. Inuyasha only shrugged.

"That doesn't matter right now," he commented blandly, "what I'm worried about is who did the damage to him. It doesn't look like he was cut up anymore than he already was." He looked to where Kagome, Miroku and Shippo were strapping the unconscious half demon to Kirara. "Someone literally kicked the shit out of him, so I'm curious who's strong enough to do that." Somehow, Sango wasn't so sure about his reasoning, but didn't argue about it any further. Unlike Kagome, she didn't enjoy arguing with the hanyuo at any length.

"Come on, you two, hurry up!" Shippo called from atop Kirara. The two of them headed towards their friends, unaware they were being watched.

The yuokai that looked exactly like Kamitsu smiled.

"Oh, good, more people I can play with!" He sounded almost giddy. "And, what's this? Two women as well? Things just keep getting better by the moment!" It wasn't that he had forgotten Naraku's orders, he was just taking a little detour before picking up his father's present. He followed them back to a small village, filled with more human vermin and an old priestess as well. That was fine with him, for the more vermin there were the more fun he would have. He circled to the far side of the village, using the trees as cover. "Now, to let the fun truly begin!"

An explosion forced Kagome to look up from where she was reclosing Kamitsu's wounds.

"What was that?" She asked, about to stand when Sango stopped her. The taijiya hefted her hiraikotsu, mouth set in a grim line.

"You stay here with Kamitsu and Shippo," she told her, casting a glance at the unconscious half demon in human form. "Come on, Kirara, let's go!" Then taijiya and two-tailed neko left through the door flap. Kagome knelt there for a moment, then continued to repair what she could of Kamitsu's injuries, murmuring a prayer Kaiede had taught her. She only hoped they would be okay.

Inuyasha surveyed the damage, growling in anger.

"Someone's gonna pay for this!" His voice was tight and animal like as he said it. A chuckle to his left drew the inu hanyuo's attention. He spun, drawing the Tetsusaiga in the same movement. A figure walked through the black smoke, a grin on his familiar features. Inuyasha gaped in astonishment. The yuokai that stepped forward out of the smoke was the mirror image of Kamitsu, right down to his emerald green eyes and dark blue hair. "Who the hell are you!" He growled, regaining his composure. Kamitsu's doppelganger grinned even wider.

"I am Komoro, and I am here to kill you all!" He roared, energy blazing around his fists as he charged at Inuyasha with blinding speed. The hanyuo swung Tetsusaiga in a mighty arc, but the yuokai ducked underneath and delivered a hammer blow to his gut. Inuyasha doubled over in pain, all the wind having been blasted from his lungs. This bastard was way too strong for any normal demon. His following kick sent the inu hanyuo hurtling through a hut and into a tree twenty feet away. There was a loud crack as the pine fell, throwing up plumes of dirt and leaves. Inuyasha staggered back to his feet, understanding why Kamitsu was so fucked up. This _thing_ must have been the one that attacked him. The hanyuo snarled, raising the Tetsusaiga above his head.

"Kaze no Kizu!"

Miroku came to where Inuyasha and some other yuokai were fighting. The hanyuo had been able to draw the fight away from the village, but things were going badly for him. The yuokai seemed incredibly powerful, knocking Inuyasha around with his bare hands. If the monk didn't know any better, he'd have said it was Kamitsu. He withdrew several sacred sutras from inside his robes.

"Justice be done!" He cried, hurling them at the yuokai from behind. The sutras struck the demon in the back, causing him to cry out in pain. Inuyasha used this opportunity to slash him across the chest, blood spurting from the wound. The yuokai staggered, as if in pain, then began to laugh maniacally.

"This is glorious!" He roared in laughter. "I haven't had this much of a challenge in a long time, but now I think I've wasted enough time here!" His yuoki intensified, and then a shock wave blasted outwards from him, striking Miroku and Inuyasha full on. When they got back to their feet, he was gone.

Komoro appeared in the center of the village, right outside the hut his brother was in.

"Come out, little bother!" He called. "It's time to play!" A human woman, a taijiya from her garb, stepped out from behind one of the huts, wielding a large weapon that looked like a boomerang. "Ah, you must be Sango. Naraku's told me _so_ much about you!" Sango's expression hardened.

"Hiraikotsu!" She cried, hurling the massive weapon at him. Komoro leapt over it, coming back down and delivering a punch that hit her in the jaw. The taijiya flew some fifteen feet before sprawling face down in the dirt. A large, saber-toothed, two-tailed neko launched itself at him from behind, roaring in rage. The yuokai spun, left hand out stretched.

"Down kitty!" He shouted, launching a blast that struck the two tail in the chest. It fell over backward with a pain filled roar, slumping down on the ground and unable to move. Komoro advanced on the hut, when a sacred arrow flew at him from inside. He caught the deadly bolt, hissing in pain as it burned his hand, then disintegrated. A woman dressed in outlandish clothes stepped out, armed with a bow and quiver of arrows. She was about to string another when Komoro raced forward, grabbing her by the throat. He began to squeeze when a voice called to him from the hut's doorway.

"Leave her alone! Your fight is with me!" It was his dear brother, Kamitsu, his powers gone now that it was the night of the full moon. Komoro smiled, dropping the girl.

"Why, you're right, Kamitsu," he admitted, taking a step towards the weakened ninja, "I'd much rather be tearing into _you_!" With these words, the demon rushed forward, kicking his brother in the chest. Kamitsu was sent flying, landing some distance away next to an old well. Komoro was there almost instantly, picking the hanyuo up by his vest. "I did so enjoy our time together. Now, it's time to say goodbye." Kamitsu smiled weakly.

"Goodbye," he whispered, shoving a sacred sutra into Komoro's face. The yuokai howled in agony, clutching at his face as he staggered back, dropping Kamitsu into the well.

"ARGH! You bastard!" Komoro cried, holding a hand over his now maimed right eye. "I'll kill you for this!" He went over to the edge of the well and looked inside, his good eye going wide in shock. Kamitsu was gone.


	7. Chapter 7: The Present Confusion

Kamitsu awoke to a cold darkness, pain infusing his entire being. The hanyuo knew from the fact that he was still in human form that it was night, and when he looked up he couldn't even see the stars. He stood slowly, groaning in agony as he willed himself to move. The air smelled damp and earthy, not surprising since he was at the bottom of a well. The hanyuo searched the stone walls, seeing dozens of handholds with which he could use as purchases to climb out. The process of doing so was slow and painful, but he didn't relish the thought of staying down there so he kept at it until he had reached the top. He soon learned why he couldn't see the stars; the well was in a small building, which was quite odd considering he didn't remember entering one. Kamitsu shook his head wearily, trying to clear the pain induced cobwebs that cluttered his thoughts as he made his way out the door. Ahead of him was an odd two story building, someone's home he presumed, but it was of an architecture he had never seen before. Several lights were on in its windows and, as Kamitsu watched, a boy with a heavy sack came out followed by a cat. The child paused, evidently having seen him but seemingly unsurprised to find someone behind his house at such a late hour.

"Inuyasha, is that you back there?" The boy sounded quite calm and collected for someone his age. Kamitsu tried to reply, but then the comforting blackness of unconsciousness swirled in his vision, causing him to pass out. Still, he heard the child's voice call out one more time. "Mom, Gramps, come quick! Someone's hurt!"

Komoro tore a strip from his shirt, using it as a crude bandage to wrap around his head and cover his savaged eye.

"Damn that half blooded bastard! How could I let him catch me off guard like that!" The yuokai growled fiercely from where he sat on the sturdy branch of a tree. "When I get my hands on him…" He trailed off, hands clenching into fists.

"What's the matter, Komoro?" A female voice asked from below in a mocking tone. "Did you let the kitten scratch your eye out?" Komoro glared balefully at the speaker with his good eye.

"What the hell do you want, Kagura?" He hissed at her in an acid-edged voice. If she felt threatened, Kagura hid it admirably.

"_Lord_ Naraku is growing impatient with you," she replied, the sarcastic emphasis on the word lord' evident, "and he wants the object immediately. Komoro sneered, baring his fangs.

"You can tell Father that I will have his precious artifact to him presently," he told her, his sneer becoming a grin. "And tell him, that I'll be sure to bring him an added surprise." Kagura's eyes narrowed.

"What do you mean?" She asked, suddenly suspicious of him. The yuokai shook his head amicably.

"Tsk, tsk, Kagura! If I told you that it wouldn't be a surprise," he sounded almost mischievous when he said it. "Now, be on your way and report to Father like a good slave!" Kagura cast him a baleful glare before conjuring her giant feather (a silly mode of transportation in Komoro's opinion) and taking off. The yuokai smiled once she was gone, feeling slightly elated. _Yes,_ he thought, _Father will be_ most _pleased._

Kamitsu woke sometime later to hushed voices, his eyes covered by a moist cloth.

"Who do you suppose he is?" A woman, in her middle years, possibly less, asked. Kamitsu couldn't be sure, but her scent was familiar.

"He's obviously a yuokai and should be exorcised!" An older man, his disgust evident in the tone of his voice, replied harshly.

"But, what if he's a friend of Inuyasha's?" The third voice belonged to a boy, and he sounded slightly distressed about the old man's exclamation. "Or, he could be a friend of Kagome's! Right, Mom?"

"That _is_ possible," the woman conceded after a moment, and then the old man's voice cut in sharply.

"A yuokai's a yuokai! He could very well be dangerous!" He didn't sound happy at all, but the woman seemed to be the head of the household here.

"I realize that," she cut him off, "but I will not condone the harming of a defenseless person in my house." This seemed to shut the old man up. Thinking that he had heard enough, Kamitsu sat up slowly, taking the cloth away from his face. He had been laying down on an odd piece of furniture (he had no idea what a couch was so he had no reference to work with), stripped from the waist up, his bandages replaced by fresh new ones and his injuries stitched back up. Thankfully, as he removed the blanket and got up, he was still wearing his pants and boots. Also, he didn't recognize any of the other furniture in the room (it being a modern family's living room with a television, etc.), that and he was once again in possession of his demonic powers. The three people he had heard speaking when he had regained consciousness were in the next room over. He walked through the doorway and was hit in the face by a strange powder that made him sneeze violently.

"Back, yuokai!" The old man cried, though Kamitsu couldn't see him at the moment because his eyes were watering terribly. "Leave this place!" Another burst of powder and the hanyuo sneezed again, falling over backwards and hitting his head against a low table. He rolled over with a groan, sneezing and coughing from the awful powder's effects on his sensitive olfactory nerves. In other words, he was allergic to it.

"That's enough, Dad!" The woman said in time to stop the old man from throwing any more of the horrid stuff in Kamitsu's face. The hanyuo was alternating between sneezing and coughing, his head pounding painfully from where it had hit the table and his sinuses clogging up. His eyes watering and his head feeling like it would explode; he tried to sit up but was unable to manage it as he gave another violent sneeze.

"Ugh, my head…" He moaned, rubbing at his eyes in an effort to clear them. The woman placed a cool hand on his forehead, the other moving his own away from his eyes. He could just make out her shape due to his allergic reaction to the powder making his vision blurry.

"Shhh, it's alright now," she whispered gently, reminding Kamitsu of his own mother, or his fake mother…he couldn't be sure anymore. The hanyuo turned his head to avoid sneezing on her, the pain in his head slowly becoming a dull ache. Soon he fell asleep once more, his dreams deeply disturbed by strange visions…

_He stood in a dimly lit cavern, the light coming from four torches surrounding an altar large enough for a person to lie down on. He turned left, then right, seeing no way out. Then he heard it, a slow, steady heartbeat coming from the altar. He could feel a strange, pulsing energy coming from a round jewel that could fit in the palm of his hand that was resting on it. There was also a katana, old yet still in perfect condition, in a gold inlaid scabbard with ancient runes and symbols embossed upon it that caught his eye. The heartbeat was coming from the sword itself. He was drawn to it for some inexplicable reason, like it was a part of him. The hanyuo started towards it, reaching for the hilt as the heartbeat grew stronger._

Come to me…Kamitsu…

_The voice was familiar, yet not. It was mesmerizing to the half demon, and he had almost reached the sword when the jewel pulsed brightly, nearly blinding him in its brilliance…_

Kamitsu awoke with a start, the dream already starting to fade. He was once again on the odd piece of furniture (couch, just in case you forgot), feeling bone tired. The hanyuo sat up with a groan, squinting against the sunlight coming in through the windows. The boy came into the room bearing a tray with food on it.

"Um, good morning mister," he greeted shyly, stepping a little closer. Despite the fact Kamitsu was a hanyuo, the child showed no fear of him, which surprised the ninja. The hanyuo couldn't help but feel that the boy was familiar, both in appearance and his scent.

"Who are you?" Kamitsu asked, eyeing the food a little warily, remembering the things the old man had said. "Where am I?" The boy smiled.

"Well, I'm Sota Higurashi, and this," he looked around the room for emphasis, "is our home." Kamitsu blinked.

"I guessed what this building was already, but what I meant was: where is this place? Am I still in Japan?" He wasn't reassured at all when the boy nodded. There was something about the look in his eye that was unsettling.

"Yeah, this is Japan." Sota set the tray of food on the small table. "Didn't Kagome tell you about the present?" To say Kamitsu was puzzled would have been an understatement.

"What's this present' you speak of, and how do you know Kagome?" The hanyuo asked, suddenly realizing something about why the boy looked familiar.

"Well, uh, I can't really explain much about what I mean about the present, but I _can_ tell you that I'm Kagome's younger brother." Sota's cheerful reply confirmed Kamitsu's suspicions, but that still didn't explain to him what the present' was. He would just have to ask him about it later. At the moment, he was feeling practically starved. The hanyuo dug into the cup of noodles with a barely suppressed zeal, which was odd for him. Most times he could control his impulses quite well, but at the moment he could have eaten a large horse. The first cup was emptied and Kamitsu started in on the second one in an instant. The boy, Sota, just sat on the floor across from him, watching the hanyuo eat. Once finished, Kamitsu was slightly disappointed to learn that there had been only two cups of the delicious tasting noodles. Now, however, he was thirsty. Sota must have guessed this, because there was another cup, this one made of ceramic, filled with an odd, fizzing liquid.

"What is it?" Kamitsu asked, eyeing it as warily as he had the food earlier. Sota only smiled.

"Try it," was his only reply. The hanyuo picked up the cup and gingerly took a sip. The liquid's flavor was new to him but not unpleasant, just as its tendency to make the drinker burp was also quite strange. In fact, it was very disturbing.

"What kind of magic is in this?" Kamitsu inquired after suppressing another obnoxious burp. Being a ninja, the hanyuo was versed in some forms of magic, namely the shadow arts, but had never heard of a spell designed to cause someone to burp. Sota chuckled.

"It's not magic!" He said with a childish giggle. "It's just carbonated!" Now, being from a time period where such concepts were never even dreamed of, Kamitsu had no idea what the boy was talking about. Seeing the hanyuo's confused look, Sota only chuckled again. "Don't worry, you'll get used to it. In fact, it's one of Inuyasha's favorite drinks."

"Huh, that's not surprising," Kamitsu remarked scathingly. "The damn mutt would enjoy something that would make him expel even more hot air at random intervals." The boy seemed confused now.

"Um, aren't you a friend of Inuyasha's?" Sota sounded a little worried at this point. It was Kamitsu's turn to chuckle, but his held little in the way of mirth.

"Hardly," the hanyuo replied, taking another sip of the odd beverage. "Though, since he saved my life, I wouldn't exactly call us enemies either." This last was admitted very grudgingly. "By the way, boy, what's your name?" The boy smiled cheerfully.

"It's Sota," he told the hanyuo, picking up the tray to take it to the kitchen. "What's yours?"

"Kamitsu," the hanyuo stated simply, watching the child leave, his mind filled with a thousand questions. Like when and where he was, not to mention how he got there.

Yuka, Eri and Ayumi sat around a table at a local fast food restaurant exchanging worried glances over the well being of their mutual friend.

"It's been three weeks already," Eri murmured, fiddling with her soft drink. "Do you think she could have pneumonia, or something?" Yuka gave her a look.

"At this time of year?" She shook her head. " You know, I really think you should get your head scanned." Ayumi thought of something.

"Could it be cancer then?" The girl asked, looking a little pale. Eri gave her the same look Yuka had just given her.

"Don't you think they would have told the school about something like that?" She asked in turn, sighing slightly. "Sometimes…" She left the thought unfinished. Ayumi looked somewhat less worried now.

"That makes sense," she agreed cheerfully. "Could she have been kidnapped by aliens?" Yuka and Eri both sweat dropped.

"Do you know this weirdo?" Yuka asked, looking like she was ready to denounce the fact that she even associated with Ayumi.

"Unfortunately," Eri replied grimly. Then: "Wait, could it be because of that guy Kagome is always talking about?" Yuka appeared thoughtful.

"But, why would Mrs. Higurashi put up with it?" Her expression grew determined. "That's it then. It's time for some friendly intervention!" The other two parts of what some called the "Terrible Trio" nodded in agreement.

"Let's go!" They all said as one and left, leaving several disturbed looking people in their wake.

Kamitsu stood out back of the Higurashi residence, bare from the waist up save for his bandages, and he also wore a bandana to cover the tips of his ears at Mrs. Higurashi's request. The hanyuo was going through one of his katas in order to keep himself in shape. His movements were slow, yet graceful, due to the fact he didn't wish to tear open his stitches again. Gradually, as if to test the limits of his injured state, his movements began to pick up speed and power, his skin glistening with sweat, muscles rippling as he moved from one position to the next. Then, he dropped practicing his kata and began working on skills he would use in combat. Lacking his sword, which was on the other side of the well, he took up a sturdy stick to practice with. Mrs. Higurashi had tried to explain to him what the Bone Eater's Well was and about the two eras, but the ninja still found the entire concept difficult to wrap his mind around. Smoothly executed attacks and counters came as second nature now, his confidence in himself growing with each and every slash and thrust. The fight with his yuokai twin had left both his body and pride badly injured. The physical injuries would heal, but the mental… Kamitsu focused his mind on the task at hand, adding punches, kicks and tumbling acrobatics to his exercise. Then, as he began a more complicated maneuver, a sharp pain shot through his back and spine, causing him to collapse in agony. The hanyuo choked back a scream as the spider shaped burn scar on his back continued to send fresh waves of hot, stabbing pain coursing through his body. There was movement to his left and, when he tried to rise, a fresh burst of agony sent him sprawling face first to the ground. Delicate hands rolled him onto his back, and the hanyuo found himself looking up into three unfamiliar faces.

"Quick," one said to a second, "get Mrs. Higurashi!" The second girl raced towards the house while the other two stayed beside him.

"You'll be okay," the third girl told him, trying and failing to sound reassuring. Another wave of pain sent the hanyuo into blissful unconsciousness.

Mrs. Higurashi sat across from Kagome's friends at the kitchen table, trying to explain why Kagome wasn't there.

"Currently, Kagome is…at the doctor's office getting a checkup," she lied, wishing that her father was there to tell them. He was much better at this than she was…

"When will she be back?" Yuka asked the damning question. Mrs. Higurashi tried to come up with another convincing lie…but was spared when her errant daughter walked through the back door.

"Hi, Mom, I'm…oh, hey guys!" She paled slightly. "Umm…what are you doing here?" She made sure to shut the door behind her and lock it, because Inuyasha had come back with her this time. The "Terrible Trio" stood up and encircled her.

"Where have you been?" Yuka asked. Kagome choked on air as she fumbled for a reply.

"I was…sick with pneumonia," she replied after an obvious pause. Eri started in from her left.

"Oh really?" She asked, arching an eyebrow. "It wouldn't happen to be because of that guy would it?" Kagome blushed.

"Wha…what guy?" She tried for innocence and failed. Ayumi started in next, a sly look in her eyes.

"You know who," she said, smiling slightly. "He's tall, with a lean, hard body…dark blue hair, emerald green eyes…" She trailed off with a sigh. Yuka winked and nudged her friend in the ribs.

"You sure know how to pick them, Kagome," she whispered in her ear, eyes twinkling with amusement as Kagome's blush darkened.

"What…what are you implying!" Kagome felt if she blushed any harder her head would explode. "It's not…" Eri cut her off.

"Oh, come on, Kagome," she said, eyes dancing with mischievousness. "A guy like that and you're not doing anything…" She decided to let the following silence speak for itself. Kagome shot a pleading look at her mother. Mrs. Higurashi saw the "help me, I'm drowning" look and decided to cut in.

"Alright girls, that's enough," she pulled her daughter away from them. "Though I'm curious as well, Kagome."

"Mother!" Kagome gasped in shock at the look in her mother's eyes. "I can't believe you people!" She pulled away, intending to head for her room. "Now look! There is nothing going on between me and Kamitsu! Period!" She stormed out, followed by all _four_ of them giggling like little girls. She passed Kamitsu's sleeping form on the couch without a thought, heading up the stairs and into her room. Inuyasha sat on the edge of her bed, playing with her alarm clock.

"What's with the commotion down stairs?" The inu hanyuo asked, forcing Kagome to remember his excellent hearing.

"Nothing," came her terse reply as she set down her bag on the floor. "Just my friends' being a bunch of idiots." Inuyasha arched an eyebrow in inquiry. Kagome decided that it was better to tell him now rather than have her bug her about it for days. "They saw Kamitsu and assumed we were…you know."

"No, I don't," Inuyasha replied, setting down the clock on the cabinet. "What did they assume?" Kagome groaned in exasperation.

"You can be so dense sometimes," she muttered, pressing on before he could interrupt. "They thought I…had _feelings_ for him." The hanyuo nodded in understanding.

"And do you?" He asked without thinking. Kagome's face turned deep red in fury and indignation.

"Stupid, Inuyasha! Sit!" She shouted, causing the hanyuo to get more intimate with the floor. She then stormed out and headed downstairs and out side, not noticing that Kamitsu was no longer on the couch. She went to the Sacred Tree and sat down, leaning back against it.

"Hard day?" Came an inquiry from above her. Kagome looked up to see Kamitsu sitting on a sturdy tree limb, leaning against it with his legs resting on the same branch. He wore the same pants and boots, but his shirt was missing, replaced by a myriad of bandages. Kagome drew her knees up to her chest.

"You could say that," she replied tiredly, then shivered. It was getting late, causing the temperature to drop slightly. Before she realized it, she was surrounded by a familiar scent. Kamitsu had draped his vest over her shoulders again without making a sound. He was back in the tree again in moments, watching the sun set. Kagome remembered the last time he had loaned her his vest. She felt strangely comfortable like this, inhaling the same spicy smell from before, and she soon drifted off to sleep. Kamitsu looked down at her with a small smile.

_Funny_, he thought, _I feel strange when I look at this girl from the future, if that's where we really are._ He sighed in self recrimination. _Yeah, right, get a hold of yourself there, Kamitsu. First a yuokai taijiya and now a wannabe miko from the future, well_ my _time's future. This is her time…somewhere else I don't belong._ He felt a slight twinge in his back. _Am I really the son of this Naraku? Are the parents I thought were mine really not?_ The sun had fully set now, bringing with it the second night of the full moon. Kamitsu became human again, his mind now a blank. He watched Inuyasha take Kagome up to her room then come back out, coming to stand beneath the tree.

"Hey, cat!" The inu hanyuo called up to him. Kamitsu let out a sigh of long suffering before looking down at him.

"What is it, mutt?" He asked, in no mood to argue. Inuyasha placed a hand on the hilt of the Tetsusaiga.

"Stay the fuck away from Kagome, kitten, or I'll tear you apart," he growled back, exposing his fangs. "She's _mine_!" The inu hanyuo went back inside, now using the back door since the "Trio" had left. Kamitsu watched him go, scowling.

"Someone should tell him to get that stick out of his ass," he growled, wishing he had his powers so he could teach the inu hanyuo a lesson. He shook himself, startled by his own reaction. _What do I care?_ He thought, puzzled. _If he wants her he's welcome to her…so why do I feel so defensive of her?_ He closed his eyes and went to sleep, his dreams deeply disturbed…

_Kamitsu stood once more inside the ancient temple, the sword's heartbeat stronger than before._

"_Who are you?" He asked it, walking slowly towards the altar. "What do you want with me?"_

I am power_, it hissed in his thoughts._ Wield me, and this power shall be yours… _Kamitsu reached for it and was enveloped in a whirlwind of dark energies… then he stood atop a large hill, gazing down at_ his _army that had just taken the western province. Thousands of inu yuokai corpses littered the battle field, and Kamitsu himself stood over one such that he didn't recognize. The yuokai hordes under his command were chanting his name…Kamitsu, son of Baratsuein!_


	8. Chapter 8: Konichiwa!

Author's Note

Hey guys…um, I'd just like to ask you all for some reviews and/or flames before I put in the next chapter, just so I can get some perspective before I continue. PLEASE! ANYTHING would be much appreciated! Thank you.


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